Egg'-CoUcct'iiig in the Bushrehl. 13 



Even with every precaution hands and body, not to men- 

 tion clothes, are sure to be in a deplorable state when 

 the day's work is over. A sharp light hatchet is indis- 

 pensable, for besides being useful for clearing away the 

 branches in almost every case where nests are found, without 

 it is impossible to get at the nests of those species which 

 breed in holes in trees ; it is also useful for extemporising 

 ladders when the tall gnarled trees have to be negotiated. 

 When out collecting, it is always handiest to use a large 

 fishing-creel to put the collecting apparatus in, not for- 

 iretting; some lemons or a water-bottle. But the outfit 

 must be reduced to a minimum, on account of the fatigue 

 soon resulting from the heat and tree-climbing, and when 

 away from the pan itself one may tramp many weary 

 miles to meet with success. On account of the fatigue 

 it is always advisable to spend at least two days at one 

 })lace, though to protract the excursion wears out the novelty 

 and one does not so well appreciate the outing. 



After the first day's collecting one need not fear insomnia, 

 and the following morning's awakening is one of the greatest 

 pleasures of the visit. At the first signs of dawn we are 

 awakened by the harsh " Krack, kraek, krack, krack-krack- 

 krack" of a crowing Korhaan ; shortly afterwards a 

 Fternhtes may be heard challenging in a loud ' Quar, 

 quar, quar, qxiarrie quarrie (pmrrie " ; then a Swempe 

 (Fraiicoiinus coqui) chimes in with a shriller penetrating 

 " Che, che, che, che-che-che.^' And as daylight slowly 

 appears the more musical notes of the Long-tailed Shrike 

 (^Urolestes melanoleucus), the Drongo {D, afer), and nume- 

 rous other species gradually join in to welcome the new day. 

 At Platriver I was awakened by one of the most beautiful 

 and varied songs it has been my delight to listen to, and it 

 was with the greatest impatience that I waited for daylight 

 to reveal whence it proceeded. To my sur])rise the bird 

 turned out to be the very common Bower-Finch {Ploce- 

 jnisser mahali), which no one would suspect of having such 

 a sweet voice. As soon as daylight was strono- enough 

 for me to clearly make out what it was, it stop[)ed singing 

 and left the thicket in which it had been roostin"-. 



