142 Camera Craft. ['^isfocT" 



Mcliphaga sonora. SinKinK Honey-eater. — Among- the planta- 

 tions where there are a fair number of the blue gums and different 

 varieties of Wattle, this bird is sometimes seen. It is never plenti- 

 ful away from this one favoured place. 



Meliphaga penicillata. White-plumed Honey-eater. — Plentiful 

 all through the year in any of the plantations, more especially those 

 containing blue gums. These birds seem to nest over a long period. 

 On last Christmas day I noticed one of their frail nests containing 

 three eggs hanging from a fine limb close to the ground. This nest 

 was quite close to the house, and I am afraid before the young birds 

 were ready to fly they made a meal for one of the cats. 



Anthus australis. Australian Pipit. — Anywhere on the Plains 

 this little bird can be seen in numbers. During last year's drought 

 many of these birds came right into the station yard, probably se- 

 curing food amongst the horse yards and hay stacks. 



Mirafra javanica. Horsfield's Bush Lark. — Whether this is a 

 bush lark or not, it certainly inhabits the plains in considerable num- 

 bers, especially where there is any cultivation. I have never noticed 

 the nest of this bird, but I am certain they breed on the plains, prob- 

 able amongst the crops. 



Corvus coronoides. Australian Crow. — Plentiful all through the 

 year, and at certain times there are flocks of many hundreds to be 

 seen. These birds seem to be among the earliest to breed, and I 

 have noticed eggs as early as July, but the majority breed in August 

 and September. 



Strepera versicolor. Grey Bell Magpie. — Last year during Sep- 

 tember a pair of these birds were here for a few weeks; only on 

 odd occasions have I noticed them here, and they remain only a very 

 shoi't time. 



Gymnorhina leuconota. White-backed Magpie. — This is one of 

 the most plentiful birds in the district, but I am afraid it is being 

 thinned out to a great extent by farmers poisoning them on newly 

 sown ground. We always have a few pairs around the garden, and 

 many hundreds return each night to roost in the old tree.-? about the 

 homestead. Some of the old birds are very savage at nesting time, 

 and on more than one occasion I have known them to pick right 

 through a thick felt hat. 



Camera Craft 



Tree-creeper and Silver-eye.~\\hile at Greensborougli in 

 October last with Air. L. G. Chandler, we (hscovered the nest 

 of a pair of White-throated Tree-creei)ers {Cliinactcris 

 Icucophcca) in a hollow tree-trunk about six feet irom the 

 ground. About three years before, we had found a nest in the 

 same hollow, but had been unable to obtain i)ictures. On this 

 occasion the birds appeared fairly trustful, but the tree wa-; in 

 the shade, and the i)osition Httle suited to i)hotography. The 

 camera was focussed on the entrance of the nest, and a con- 

 siderable length of thread used to release the shutter. The bird 

 invariably ai)proache(l the nest in the same manner, and the pic- 

 tures show little variation. Flying to the base of the tree on 

 the side hidden from the camera, she proceeded as close to the 

 nest entrance as was i)ossible without coming into view. Then 

 head and shoulders would appear. If dissatisfied with the aj)- 

 ])earance of the camera, she backed DUt of sight again. I was 



