^'"''20^'J CiiAxnr.iCK, With Camera in Nortli-Wext Vir/ona. C) 



stu(l\- 1 (-oiuhulcd thai each nest was tenanted l)y one ])air of 

 birds, but the social instinct of this species is stroni;'. I^)irds from 

 more than one nest would assist in the buildint; of a neii^diliour's 

 home, and if not l)urdened l^y nesting cares would even help in 

 feeding the young. The habit of building many nests is well 

 known, and, judging by the noisy chatter, they find enjoyment 

 in the task. Some of these nests are used for night shelters. I 

 spent a day at two nests, unsuccessfully attempting to photo- 

 graph the old birds. The camera was partially covered with 

 leaves and branches, and 1 was 30 feet distant, behind a l)ush : 

 but the Babblers would not come near the nest. I had often 

 read of the advantages of an observation tent, and I determined 

 to try it. I built a framework of sticks, suifi.ciently large to 

 accommodate the camera and myself, and draped chai^bags 

 around and over it, and then covered the whole with leaves. The 

 bird returned to her nest without hesitation immediately I 

 vacated the spot. Next morning, accompanied by Douglas Otey, 

 I fixed my camera and made myself comfortable. My companion, 

 after re-arranging my shelter, went away. The female bird was 

 soon back at the nest, and 1 had no difficulty in securing photo- 

 graphs. I recommend brother photographers to try this method. 

 This nest contained three eggs, and it was interesting to note 

 that the bird usually brought a beakful of feathers or rabbit's fur 

 as additional lining. To obtain photograph's I drove the Babbler 

 from her nest several times. She usually went some distance 

 away to where another pair of Babblers had a nest in a pepper- 

 tree. I could hear her calhng as she flew from bush to bush. 

 From observations previously made I concluded that her mate 

 was possibly assisting to feed the brood in this nest, and during 

 her absence — sometimes half an hour — she probably also assisted. 

 Occasionally I noticed two birds feeding the young in this nest, 

 and at times the number had increased to five or six. I can 

 account for this only by the theory that the birds share the burden 

 of nest-building and of rearing the young. I could visit any of 

 the three nests, and, although perhaps only two birds would be 

 in attendance at the time, by imitating the squeak of a young 

 one the noisy alarm not(>s of tlie old birds would soon bring 

 reinforcements. I feel almost certain that the additional birds 

 came from the other nests. 



Black-fronted Dottrels [Mgialitis nigrifrons) were always about' 

 the margins of the lagoons, but I had little success with this 

 species, and found only two nests. The eggs, three in number, 

 illustrate protective coloration in a most striking manner. At a 

 distance of five or six yards I was impressed by the time taken 

 to re-locate a set of eggs. As the nest is merely a slight depiession 

 in the ground, the eggs would be readily picked up by Crows and 

 Ravens if not procteted in this manner. Ground-nesting birds 

 like the Dottrel frequently l^ave their eggs during warm weather 

 for hours at a time. The heat of the soil, combined with the sun's 

 VdiVS, is sufficient for incubation. The young Dottrel, on account 



