45 



honeyeater we find that vory familiar bird the red wattlebird, 

 (Authocbaera carnnculata), or the "wattle bird" of the settlers. 

 These birds ^^■er(' very numerous among the timber on Wanuula 

 Creek, and as soon as the first glimmer of light was to oe dis- 

 cerned in the eastern sky their harsh call resembling "quack, 

 quack," came from every treetop. In their native bush they art 

 very useful, being continually on the hunt for insects, but slirre 

 man has destroyed much of their hunting ground and planted 

 such enticing baits in the shape of fruit trees it is not to be won- 

 dered at that, like Eve, they determined to taste, and are .branded 

 by the settlers as thieves. The flesh of the wattle bird is considered 

 by many to be superior to quail. A large species, which is a 

 native of Tasmania, was one time to be seen daily in the poulte- 

 rers' shops of that country. A closely allied species to the above 

 bird in the brush wattle bird (Anellobia-chrysoptera), was observed 

 on the peninsula, but it was very scarce, and only one or two birds 

 came under our notice while there. 



— Insessores. — 



How pleasant the life of a bird must be, 

 Flitting about in each leafy tree. 

 In leafy trees so broad and tall, 

 Lilie a green and beautiful palace hall. 

 With its airy chambers, light, and room, 

 That open to sun and stars and moon. 

 That open unto the bright blue sky. 

 And the frolicsome winds as tliey wander by. 



The grey-backed zosterops, or sliver-eye (Zosterops cerulescens) 

 were observed hopping about among the undergrowth in search 

 of insecN:s and grubs. These lively little birds are looked upon by 

 the orehardist and vigneron too harshly by far; there is no doubt 

 they attack the soft fruit at times, but it must be remembered 

 that all the rest of the year they are hard at work destroying the 

 many pests and blights in the orchard and flower garden, in the 

 shape of codhn moth, aphides, and so on. Speaking from personal 

 observations, I am jierfectly sui'e the good they do outbalances by 

 far the small quantity of fruit destroyed by them. While making 

 observations in a belt of sheaoak on the side of Koppio Range a 

 little colony of those most facinating birds, the blaclc-capped t-ree- 

 runner (Neositta-pile.ata), came under notice. Although thtse 

 Uttle birds resemble the treecreepers (Climacteris) much in their , 

 habits, and are identical in diet, the treecreeper flies to the butt I L U 

 of a tree, chnging to the bark with its strong toes and supported ' 

 by its tail, ascends the tree in a series of circles, or spiral motions, 

 diligently searching the while every crack and crevice in search 

 of insects. Now the sittella reverses the order of things, for it 



