THE BUSH HUT 27 



third hour the timorous bird flew on to the nest and 

 stayed for a moment, alert. The shutter clicked, and 

 she darted off; too late, however, to foil the patient 

 watcher. When the plate was developed, it showed 

 the mother bird, and a chick leaping from the nest to 

 greet her. This was the first photograph of the 

 Coachwhip-Bird obtained, and caused much interest 

 among Victorian ornithologists. Subsequently other 

 Nature photographers were successful. 



Among the gum trees on the hill slopes Parrots, 

 Butcher Birds, Magpies and other species nested. 

 From a nest of Cracticus destructor we took three 

 fledglings, which became pets. They were merry little 

 creatures, but called almost incessantly for food. 

 Small pieces of raw meat, moistened in water, were 

 given to them. One bird learned to whistle the open- 

 ing bars of some simple tunes, but its own wild, sweet 

 notes were most pleasing. The Magpies' rich carolling 

 was always welcome, but seemed especially musical 

 after the screeching of a flock of Parrots or Cockatoos. 

 The Rosella Parrot [Platijcercus eximius] is a bird o? 

 gay plumage, as everyone knows, but it is not a "song- 

 less bright bird." It sings after a fashion of its own, 

 uttering, as it creeps among the foliage of a gum tree, 

 nicely modulated notes. The "song" is in harmony 

 with the whispering of leaves, and humming of insects 

 in the flowers: 



All the live murmur of a Summer day. 



Black Cockatoos [Caloptorhynchus funereus] did 

 not nest at Olinda Vale in our time, and are never 

 likely to do so. Sometimes a small flock came flying 

 over a hill, to sweep, with harsh cries, through the 

 sunlit valley. "When black cockies fly low look out 

 for rain," is a Bush saying that was not verified. 

 The birds which visited us did not know their business 

 as rain prophets, or else they were on holiday, for rain 

 was never the sequel to a low flight by Black Cockatoos. 



