^°i9i^^] WILSON, Impressions of Anstralian Birds. 205 



fascination in the hoot of an Owl, and, while the European 

 Nightingale is famous, I have just as much enjoyed the small 

 voice of an Australian Willie Wagtail at midnight. 



Some nights are full of sound (perhaps a condition in the air 

 causes it) when foxes bark and possums are noisy, whatever 

 the reason. On one such night, as I was walking, a Magpie 

 woke and gave a full cadenza of melody, whereat a chorus of 

 others nearby answered magnificently, and the still air was ring- 

 ing with sound, and that was all : it seemed as if the whole colony 

 had contentedly cuddled themselves to sleep again for the rest 

 of the night. I particularly admire the Magpie, and like to watch 

 his returning home to roost. I know a place where I can stand 

 at dusk and look southwards, knowing that soon at a great dizzy 

 height these birds will be seen approaching, till at a certain spot 

 their wings will be fixed, half closed, and they will swoop to the 

 tree tops at a speed which is over 100 miles an hour, as if they 

 loved it, and there, at the last second, check themselves with a 

 rustling whirr of pinions, lightly to settle on some pine-tree. 

 What a perfect finish to a sunny day ! Those who have swooped 

 in the same way in an aeroplane can, by a slight, imperfect imi- 

 tation, imagine the feeling. 



Since I began writing this paper, I went out into the bush 

 to see how many different sorts of birds I could notice on one 

 afternoon. Between 2.15 and 5.15 p.m., I had found 41 all told, 

 of which one, the Orange-winged Nuthatch {NcosUfa), was new 

 to me. This is a more fruitful walk (aided by a car) than I 

 think any non-tropical country in the world could rival. To 

 name a few only, there was the Crested Bell Bird (two 

 only), Yellow-breasted Wliistler, Friar-Bird, Spotted-sided 

 Finch, AVhite-browed Babbler, Allied Harrier, Yellow-tufted 

 Honey-eater, and so on; and, on the afternoon just previous, I 

 was in a swampy part and saw eleven birds there, all of which 

 could have been added to the list of 41 had I so willed on the 

 same day. Where else. I repeat, in a temperate climate, could 

 a bird-lover rejoice so fully as by seeing 52 species so quickly?'' 

 But this was done in virgin bush, uncultivated, where the im- 

 ported usurpers have not yet arrived to starve the rightful 

 owners. 



White Tips to Tail Feathers. — For many years past, my at- 

 tention has been attracted to the great numbers of different 

 species of birds that possess white tips to their tail feathers, 

 and ranging from the smallest to the largest birds. The per- 

 centage of these forms among our Australian and Tasmanian 

 species is very great, as well as with exotic kinds. This is only 

 one of nature's many wonders, and it would indeed be very in- 

 teresting if we were able to ascertain for what purpose the 

 white tip is there. — Sid. Wm. Jackson, R.A.O.U., Belltrees, 

 N.S.W. 



