202 WILSON, Impressions of Australian Birds. V 



■ Emt 

 Jan. 



An Impression of the Birds of Australia 



]}}■ A. H. W'lLS* )X, \ isilin^- ( )niithologist from (rreal I'.ritain. 



I suppose that a lover of birds coming to Australia first when 

 a grown man, and, for the second time, after an interval of 

 ten years, must needs get an entirely dilTerent impression of 

 Australian birds from one who has been brought up among 

 them. Let us see if that is so. It is a curious fact that while 

 people in Europe know really dangerously little about Aus- 

 tralia, it is on the whole the birds which are the most familiar, 

 even among schoolboys. Any English boy can tell you of Black 

 Swans, Galahs (known as Rose and Grey Cockatoos). Emus, 

 Lyre-Birds, and the Bird which laughs at you. But the more 

 interesting I>ower-Bird is not so niuch heard of, which is 

 strange. The only other things equally household words are 

 boomerangs, Victor Trumper (still an idol), the Kangaroo, and 

 the Platypus : so the birds hold i)ride of place. The saying, 

 here supposed to be popular in England, that Australi.'.n birds 

 have no song, is pure imagination among Australians. It was 

 once said years ago, but I had never heard it, nor have I ever 

 met anyone at home who has heard it said. Let me assure you 

 that your birds need no defence in this way, nor do your trees; 

 it was an Australian who told me that gum trees have no shade. 



yV visitor's first impression on landing in Victoria for the 

 first time, as far as birds are concerned, will be his worst. He 

 will be expecting something new, bu-t the first thing he sees is 

 a Sparrow, the next a fiock of Starlings, and jM-esently Thrushes 

 or Blackbirds. I do not fear the two latter, because the climate 

 does not suit them ; they die of heat in the summer, when the 

 thermometer fiirts with the century mark. I found three dying 

 in Melbourne streets on one day this year; two young Thrushes 

 and a l>lackbird: but the Sjiarrow and .'Starling will thrive any- 

 where. The economic argument may rage about these birds as 

 to their agricultural value, but their driving away of native 

 species fr(«n where man lives and likes to see them is a crime. 



After ten years' absence I have come back, and found them 

 increasing in numbers and spreading wider afield, ever follow- 

 ing man and his railway lines. Why should a garden be full 

 of Sparrows, when Money-eaters in all colors, brilliant Finches, 

 and others might be there instead? While it is yet time, keep 

 out the i)retty r)ull-finch. When he is adult he is almost 100 

 l)er cent, bad, being then entirely a fruit eater. He will probably 

 do more harm if introducecl. His importation should be speci- 

 ally i)rohibite(l by law. 



Turning to the brighter side. Australian l)irds are intensely 

 interesting to a visitor, Imth in habits and variety. There is 

 nothing more original than the families of Bower Birds, or the 

 Mound-Builders (Mciiapodidac), nor more primitive than the 

 K;nu, nor more perfect in flight than the Wood Swallows. 



