150 BIRDS OF THE WATER 



We noticed that the sacs of excrement, 

 when borne off, were mostly taken to one 

 particular spot, probably not designedly, 

 but from force of habit, the particular 

 blade of flax where they were usually 

 dropped being presumably on the line of 

 the richest food collecting area. 



Sometimes the Fern Bird will fly forty 

 or fifty yards, his long abraded tail hanging 

 down all the time, and giving his flight a 

 ridiculously feeble air. Usually these efforts 

 are much shorter, and when constantly 

 visiting the nest, much of the distance is 

 covered on the ground, the bird rimning like 

 a mouse beneath the overarching leaves and 

 threading its way with the utmost ease 

 through the thickest obstructions. 



Often, for reasons connected with light 

 and shade and proper background, a bird 

 has to be diverted from its accustomed 

 track. With some species this is easily 

 done, but it was in vain we tried, with 

 heads of cutty grass, to deflect the Fern 

 Bird from his chosen routes. He was 

 always able to push through our barrier, 

 rustling through the sere, brown growth 



