192 REEp-BIRD. 



marshy meadow lands, and among the 

 thickets which line the margins of our 

 large rivers, inland creeks and water 

 courses, which seem alive with melody of 

 the clearest, most liquid, interesting and 

 delightful character. To describe the 

 song of this bird would be doing him 

 injustice, so varied and so striking are 

 the cadences which at once delight and 

 astonish the listener. Perched upon some 

 low bush, or tussock of grass, near their 

 mates, hundreds of male birds may be 

 seen and heard at one time, as they rend 

 the air with a wild incongruity of sweet 

 sounds, which ascend mingling in harmony, 

 a seeming hymn of innocent votaries to 

 the beneficent God of Nature! 



The plumage of this bird in his season 

 of song, is no less singular and beautiful 

 than his musical powers, being of a rich 

 glossy black, with a perfect crescent on 

 the back of the head, of a rich mellow 

 cream-colour, while the lower portion of 

 his back and his wing-coverts are a pure 



