34 TROPIC DAYS 



abundance, the metallic starlings have been wont to 

 obtain refreshment from a hollow far up a huge tea- 

 tree, the supply in which seemed to be inexhaustible. 

 The tyrant's plea, necessity, ordained the destruction 

 of the never-failing tree, and now the starlings descend 

 by the hundred into the deep and shady ravine whence 

 water is pumped, and drink also from the cattle-trough 

 and bathe therein with noise and excitement of happy 

 children on the beach. It is quite within the mark to 

 compute the starlings by the hundred. The trough is 

 edged nearly all day long by thirsty or dirty birds, 

 while scores sit round among the shrubs waiting turn 

 and commenting on the frolics and splashings of others 

 in excitable tones. When, perhaps, there are but a 

 poor dozen or so round the trough, you may chance to 

 see the birds in attitudes more varied than those of 

 Pliny's doves, and catch the shadows of burnished necks 

 darkening the water, as in that famous mosaic, and 

 even the glistening reflection of the red, jewel-like eyes. 

 Other birds, with far less assurance and shrill clamour 

 than the lovely starlings, visit the trough regularly and 

 by the score. Two species of honey-eaters are seldom 

 unrepresented. The barred -shouldered dove, the 

 spangled drongo, the noisy pitta, the red-crowned fruit 

 pigeon, the pheasant-tailed pigeon, are less frequent 

 visitors; and though the purple-breasted fruit pigeon 

 the most magnificent of all talks to his mate in coarse 

 gutturals from the trees above, he has not been seen 

 actually drinking. So shy and furtive a bird would 

 choose his time for refreshment when there is little 

 likelihood of interruption. In the ravine there are 

 often metallic starlings by the dozen, and little green 

 pigeons for those domiciled come and go at all hours 

 of the day. Occasionally a sulphur-crested cockatoo 

 comes sailing down to the diminishing pool through 



