312 LooMIs, Vai'id/iuii in the Alhairosses aud Petrels. [,si 'April 



amental group of Ijird individuals, absolutely separated by a 

 peculiar assemblage of characters from all other bird individuals. 

 In a classification based on constant characters, the species is 

 the unit of a system. Within the species occur the individual, 

 dichromatic, and geographic variations. 



It devolves upon the systematist to determine the species and 

 the range and character of their variations. But it does not 

 devolve upon the systematist to reduce classification to a state 

 of chaos 1:)y attempting to make definite indefinite variations. 



Camera Craft Notes. 



White-fronted Chats. — There is no series of pictures which has 

 cost us more time and trouble than that of the White-fronted 

 Chat {Ephthianura alhifrons). This fact may surprise observers 

 who know how common the bird is around Melbourne. It nests 

 quite freely in the suburbs, and our photographic experience of 

 it has been limited practically to Preston, very little beyond the 

 outer fringe of the suburban habitation. From the days of eleven 

 years ago, when we operated with a ten-shilhng camera, wc have 

 disturbed scores of Chat famihes with our attentions, and the 

 total result, so far as adult birds are concerned, is the two pic- 

 tures reproduced. That of the male was obtained after a three- 

 hours' wait in the branches of a wattle tree near the nest. The 

 picture of the female, taken during a subsequent season, cost us 

 no less trouble. In each case one exposure only was made. We 

 often wonder whether the experience of other photographers 

 agrees with ours as regards birds which build in populated parts. 

 They all appear to possess a deep-seated objection to a very 

 close acquaintanceship with man. • Birds of the secluded parts, 

 on the other hand, treat camera and operator with an indiffer- 

 ence born of ignorance. — R. T. Littlejohns, R.A.O.U., and S. A. 

 Lawrence, R.A.O.U. Melbourne, 27/2/1920. 



While waiting to photograph a White-shafted Fantail at the 

 nest shown in the illustration, the behaviour of the two old birds 

 was of peculiar interest. The female bird fed the young brood 

 fearlessly, but the male bird would not come to the nest, although 

 he hovered near with food. After a time this seemed to exasperate 

 the mother Fantail, and she chased her mate through the scrub 

 with angry chatter, and finally took the food from him and fed 

 the young ones. This happened several times, until at last the 

 male mustered up sulfi.cient courage to feed the chicks himself. 

 The photograph of the young Penguins was taken at Phillip 

 Island, and shows the birds in an interesting stage of moulting. — 

 L. G. Chandler. 



9p 



