142 WOLSTEXHOLME. Xotcs from nc///roo;///o.[Ysf OcT" 



bright plumage to please the eye, but are so lively, friendly, and use- 

 ful, and such sweet songsters in the warmer months; frequent com- 

 panions to the gardener (but often in high timber, where their song 

 is usually given), alighting familiarly round about on twig or post, 

 and flicking the white-edged tail to this side and that side. Quiet 

 and trustful, alert and wistful, gentle, yet they are marvellously 

 quick. If a morsel is dropped it will be caught in the beak before 

 falling 6 inches. On good terms with all other birds with the ex- 

 ception of Cuckoos. Rather silent through the cool months, but 

 they give prolonged "Peter Peters" in a variety of sweet tones and 

 modulations in spring. Their chorus at dawn on a fine spring morn- 

 ing is glorious — a daily joy to the early riser in these parts. We 

 feed some every day by tossing up little bits of cheese to be caught 

 in mid-air — a natural way for fly-catchers to obtain food — and they 

 take them most wonderfully with the greatest ease. A few posts 

 close to the vei*andah are for their special use. In the garden they 

 will alight just at hand or hover above one's head, asking for a 

 morsel to be thrown to them. Their shallow little nests, though so 

 small and hard to see, may be found easily by watching the birds. 

 Their were four last season within 70 yards along the road by the 

 gate. Usually they are in a big eucalyptus and frequently are quite 

 low. 



Gerygone albogularis. Bush-Warbler. — Plentiful. This little mi- 

 grant fly-eater is here from spring to autumn. It is sometimes 

 called the "Native Canary," having its breast a light canary colour, 

 and possessing a beautiful song — a cascade of light liquid notes end- 

 ing with a staccato note not always heard. It lives chiefly aloft in 

 the big gums. The nest is of the Tit-Warbler (Acanthiza) type, very 

 elongated, with a hooded entrance and a long tail. 



Eopsaltria australis. Shrike-Robin. — Very common indeed, and, 

 like the Jacky Winter, most attractive, but very different. It is 

 heavier, slower, inoi-e deliberate, often eyeing a piece of food for 

 quite a little time before hopping down to it. Does not hover, and 

 moves about silently in thick, scrubby and shaded parts (perhaps its 

 large eye is to assist the sight in these places). Here one is almost 

 sure to be seen in its well-known position, clinging diagonally to 

 the vertical stem of a small tree, and never far from the ground. 

 Some are usually in the garden. First to wake and last to sleep, 

 their gentle and regular one-note whistle is (along with the bois- 

 terous laugh of the Kookaburra) the earliest of bird-notes at day- 

 break, and the latest at nightfall, but throughout the day it is not 

 so much heard. The strong "Tchoo Tch.oo" is given in the nesting 

 season only. 



Some of the birds are tame — friends of all the household — and 

 take cheese perching on our hands. Two were given names — 

 "Cheeky" and "Stumpy," he was minus his outer tail feathers for 

 a while. Trustful, unassuming and joeaceful by general repute, and 

 rightly so, yet. at times, quite otherwise. If food is being distributed, 

 they are very jealous of the Jackies and try to keep them away, and 

 occasionally they fight amongst themselves. At the bathing pool 

 Robin is selfish anl exclusive. A Sparrow is usuallv thei'e. If Robin 

 v/ants to go in, he just jumps at the S})arrow. Sparrow as a rule 

 goes; if not. Robin jumps on him, and. applying his beak effectively, 

 has the bath to himself. He objects to strangers, and rudely drives 

 off Redheads ( Aegititha trmfioralis ) or other small birds. The nests 

 about here are a uniform height, about 8 feet from the ground 



Falcuncuhis frontatus. Shrike-Tit. — Very numerous. Their queer 

 chuckle or slow whistle is constantly heard in the eucalyptus trees. 

 Young birds were often fed in the orange trees. In the quiet of 

 the bush the presence of these fine birds is sometimes discovered by 

 the crackling noise made in breaking and pulling away bits of dead 



