^"'iQ.fi^''] Nam , Morning Song of the Noisy Miner. 187 



ko-tek (lour notes), we-we (I'oin' tinics repeated) ; wc-we (foui" 

 times) : wo-we (four times, pilch altered) ; phcd-e-ratc (twiee) ; 

 wv-we (four times) ; ko-tek (twice) ; we-we (four times), phed-e-rate 

 (twice) : we-we (twice) ; we-we (four times), ko-tek (four times) ; 

 we-we (three times) : we-we (four times, at much higher pitch) : 

 ko-tek (f(-ur times) : we-we (four times) : we-we (four times), and 

 ko-tek (once) and we-we (four times), all quickly followed ; 

 interval of several seconds ; we-we (eight times) ; ko-tek (once) ; 

 we-we (four times, pitched high) ; we-we (four, medium pitch) ; 

 interval ol several seconds ; ko-tek ; phed-e-rate (foiu" times) ; 

 l)ick-up (same value) ; we-we (three times) ; intervals were 

 l)(.'Coming wider, with last few notes faint, 5.21 a.m. 



Nothing further was heard till 7.5 a.m., when the first of tlu' 

 day calls was given — a series of six sharp, twittering notes. 



The Grail in (I -like notes were particularly interesting because 

 if by imitation they must be by inheritance, as we have no 

 Grallina in or near this district. The nearest Myzantha garrula 

 was approximately 400 yards away, and on one occasion only did 

 I hear that or any other of its species giving notes of its song. In 

 other words, the male bird was the only singer in the area allotted 

 to a pair of birds at this season of the year. 



Mr. Giblin, M.H.A., tells me that Miners sing in chorus ; that 

 in the stillness of early morning one bird will strike its first clear, 

 sweet, and strong call, when promptly follow a number of its com- 

 panions, as if to vie with each other in the pure joy of living another 

 day. Without knowing the fact, I should incline to believe this 

 chorus to be a song of the early part of spring, before the birds 

 have paired and become isolated for nesting. 



Camera Craft Notes. 



Two Northern Nests. — The nest of the Lemon-breasted Fly- 

 catcher {Micrtt'ca flavigaster) is one of the smallest of those of 

 Australian birds. The structure is about the circumference of 

 a half-crown, and is the receptacle of a single egg. The pretty 

 bird is fairly plentiful in the tropics of Queensland, where it seems 

 to take the place of our familiar friend the Brown Flycatcher 

 [M. fascinans) of the south. The nest of the White-breasted 

 Honey-eater {Glyciphila fasciata) was taken from a paper-barked 

 tea-tree, or Melaleuca, near where some " tea-tree " orchids were 

 growing. The nest was suspended over a lily lagoon, and was 

 constructed of shreds and strips of tea-tree bark, and is dome- 

 shaped. The Brown-backed Honey-eater (G. modesta) is the only 

 other Honey-eater known to build a covered nest ; those of all 

 the rest of the family are open. 



I am indebted to the Messrs. Harvey Bros.. Mackay. for the 

 two interesting nests which I have illustrated. — A. J. C.\mpbell. 

 Armadale, 15/11/15. 



