86 Le Souef and Macpherson, The Birds of Sydney, [.sfoa. 



The friendly little Fairy Martin {Petrochelidon arte!) is also a 

 city dweller, though keeping more to the suburbs, where they are 

 often seen mingling with the Swallows. They go north in the 

 winter. 



The " Jacky Winter " or B^own Flycatcher [Micraxa fascinans) 

 is much associated with Sydney, and has established itself 

 wherever it can get a footing. One sees them in the parks and 

 gardens and along the suburban roadways. They seem to feed 

 almost exclusively from the ground, taking, as far as we have 

 noticed, ants. They have a very varied repertoire in the spring 

 and summer, and a particular note for the winter. They are 

 very tame, and will nest in close proximity to crowded paths. 



The tiny Short-billed Tree-Tit [Smicrornis brevirostris) is not 

 uncommon among the eucalypts and angophora trees. It re- 

 sembles an animated ball of feathers, very jerky in its movements, 

 and often springing into the air after small insects, and occasion- 

 ally hovering for a moment while it examines a leaf. 



The cheery song of the little White-throated Fly-eater {Gerygone 

 albogulans) is heard regularly in the early spring as the birds 

 come along on their journey south. A few pairs stay in the city 

 parks and suburbs, and several breed in the eucalyptus breaks, 

 to which trees they almost exclusively adhere. They stay in 

 the spot they select all the season. In the year 1919 two pairs 

 remained in Ashton Park, but only one pair nested ; the others 

 wandered over a fair extent of country. The wild birds take a 

 great interest in any new arrival, and when the nesting pair 

 were house-hunting they came into prominence. First some 

 Sparrows came down to investigate, then a Rufous-breasted 

 Whistler made a hostile demonstration, a Shrike-Robin peered at 

 them, and a Spinebill fussed around, and they evidently felt the 

 place rather crowded, and ultimately made their headqaurters 

 about a hundred yards away in a small, isolated Angophora tree ; 

 they left this year about the 25th of April. 



Wherever there is a bit of moderately thick bush in garden or 

 park, one is sure to find the " Yellow Bob " — Yellow-breasted 

 Shrike-Robin [Eopsaltria australis). These birds are numerous in 

 the harbour parks, and will establish themselves in a garden if 

 there is sufficient cover available. 



Yellow-breasted Shrike-Tits {Falciinciiliis frontalis) are more 

 numerous than one would suppose, as they generally go about 

 their work quietly, and the only clue to their presence is the noise 

 they make in tearing away bits of bark in their search after insects, 

 or their soft whistle. They mainly keep to the eucalyptus trees. 



The Yellow-breasted Whistler {Pachycephala gitUuralis) is 

 sparingly present in Ashton Park, keeping to the thicker gullies 

 in the summer, but reaching out to the higher grounds and 

 adjoining suburban gardens in the winter, more especially if such 

 contain eucalyptus trees. 



The Rufous-breasted Whistler [Pachycephala rufiventris) is quite 

 one of the joys of the Inish. Although some stay with us all the 



