THE IDYLL OF THE BLOSSOM-BIRDS 91 



listemon) are its favorite hosts. Wherever and 

 whenever these flowers are out, there and then may 

 the silvery, bell-like tinkle of the Blood-Bird be 

 heard, and, if the observer be keen of eye, the 

 scarlet form seen flashing about the tops of the tall 

 trees. There are times when it comes into low 

 trees. One of the prettiest avian sights I have ever 

 seen was constituted by a small host of these birds 

 flitting rapidly among whitish flowers which 

 bedecked a small tea-tree glade at East Brisbane. 



How long a period is covered in the attaining of 

 the scarlet livery of the Blood-Bird is an open ques- 

 tion. An acquaintance who has had a specimen in 

 an aviary for five years assures me that it is only 

 now beginning to color. Unnatural diet, however, is 

 probably the cause of this and other records of 

 lengthy periods taken by captive birds to come to 

 their own; and we are not holding, as it were, a 

 mirror up to Nature in supposing such protracted 

 adolescence to be natural. Is the life of a wild bird 

 so free from hazards that it can afford to spend five 

 or seven years of precious youth in convent garb? 

 I trow not. And yet, on the other hand, it is obvious 

 that the attainment of bright plumage adds to these 

 risks, bringing also to most of its owners a sense of 

 responsibility and discretion. 



Not so with the careless little cardinal of the 

 blossoms. I see more of the flashing scarlet forms 

 than those of sober dress, and, what is more, hear 

 from the female only a modest "Chip-chip-chip!" a 

 vocal performance very different from the musical 

 rhapsody of her gay little lord. What a life is his ! 

 an idyll in itself! Beauty of voice, form, plumage, 



