THE ARISTOCRACY OF THE CREST 117 



times afterwards to the same locality in the hope of 

 greeting the company again. But not until a full 

 month later were those sleeping quarters occupied, 

 and then only by one bird. Sitting bunched up, 

 right out in an exposed position again, with crest 

 for once at rest, what a close resemblance this soli- 

 tary sleeper bore to a philosophic Yellow Robin ! 



In these cooler months the Shrike-Tits, like most 

 other non-migratory birds, are moderately addicted 

 to roving. Sometimes they drift into towns and cities. 

 In 1914 a particular pair was in the habit of visit- 

 ing the yard of a country fire-station, and the sym- 

 pathetic keeper derived much entertainment from 

 watching two Sparrows dancing attendance on them 

 as they foraged in big gum-trees. When the strong- 

 billed native birds ripped off bark, the Sparrows 

 dashed in to share in the feast. But they got away 

 again quickly, probably having an inkling of the 

 fact that the Shrike-Tit is not sufficiently haughty 

 to be imposed on with impunity. 



I have seen a Shrike-Tit on its dignity many 

 times, notably with a Yellow-tufted Honeyeater, 

 each bird clinging to a slender branchlet and eyeing 

 the other in a most quizzical fashion. In quite a 

 different locality, on the brilliant morning of a June 

 day, another meddlesome Yellow-tuft pursued a 

 female Shrike-Tit, and a male bird whom she called 

 up grew so excited over the affront that he used the 

 piping whistle of nesting-time quite freely. How 

 astounded he was when an interested human visitor 

 joined in the monotone! Seeming to think a rival 

 was in the field, he came down at once, with crest 

 elevated, piping quite close to me. 



