THE IDYLL OF THE BLOSSOM-BIRDS 95 



it is necessary now to tender a slight qualification 

 on behalf of the two families (Honey-Birds and Sun- 

 Birds) generally. Few of them have what may be 

 termed straightforward singing powers. But what 

 of that? Their voiceful persuasiveness rests in the 

 heartiness and good cheer contained in the chortles, 

 lilts, shouts, and widely-varied calls generally, from 

 the irresponsible revelry of the Wattle and Friar 

 Birds, past the companionable chatter of the curious 

 Fasciated Honeyeater of Queensland, down to the 

 altogether blithesome notes of the small White- 

 naped Honeyeater (Black-cap) of the South. Truly, 

 Dennis, "it's the sunshine of the country, caught 

 and turned to bonzer notes" that the cheery Honey- 

 Birds pass on to whomsoever will listen. It is 

 almost literally true also that there is sunshine m 

 the movements of these graceful birds, whether 

 they be those of the Lorikeets screeching overhead 

 in the crisp air of a Winter morning, the beauteous 

 Spine-bill fluttering, Humming-Bird-like, before the 

 bells of the heath, or the movements of a dozen 

 other strong-clawed species comrades of the danc- 

 ing leaves performing acrobatic feats among the 

 blossoms. 



Here, too, I think of the real dancing of a blithe 

 companion of my boyhood days, the Yellow-tufted 

 Honeyeater. This pretty study in brown, yellow, 

 and black is one of many smaller members of 

 the family which remain more or less constant to 

 the same locality the year through that is, of 

 course, when conditions have not become sufficiently 

 unfavorable, as has been the case in the Brisbane 



