The Sheep-Fluke. 



29 



One of the four-footed marauders gets 

 caught. (Native or marsupial eat, 

 Dasyurus viverrinus.) 



reason. I have tried to convince myself that the particular trees chosen 

 were safer from the attacks of crows, hawks, and climbing animals, but with 

 only indifferent success. To be sure, a number of cases seem to support 

 this hypothesis, as, for instance, when I found a number of these favourite 

 trees placed alongside and very near the railway. The contrast between the 

 quiet and unconcern of the mother Pee-wee brooding her young, and the 

 rushing, thundering, shrieking, hideous din of the train a few yards away was 

 laughable and very suggestive. Have we not here a bird that would, if not 

 hunted, take up its abode in our very midst, putting up with our noisiness 

 for the sake of the protection afforded from its natural enemies ? It is 

 reasonable to suppose, and, as far as I have observed, actually the case, 

 that nest-robbers, such as birds of 

 prey and climbing animals, are 

 fewer near railways, and may not 

 this account for the location of 

 these particular favourite nesting 

 trees ? Where birds are left unmo- 

 lested, or, rather, where useful birds 

 are left unmolested, some of their 

 number soon frequent the trees 

 near houses and near gardens. The 

 Pee-wee is one of these, and it is 

 disposed to confide in us, relying on 

 our protection. If we only had the 

 sense to appreciate the situation, we might encourage a valuable ally. 



The course followed by the eggs and young of these birds is a perilous one. 

 Sharp-sighted robbers circle in the air above by day, and four-footed 

 marauders scramble up from below both by day and by night, and between 

 these, what with hawks, crows, iguanas, and cats, it is no wonder if many a 

 fine brood comes to grief. One 

 season I had nearly half a hundred 

 nests under casual observation, and 

 can testify to a considerable loss 

 from the attacks of these thieves. 

 I suspect that on more than one 

 occasion my tracks were followed up 

 the tree from below. Claw marks 

 on the smooth limbs told a sus- 

 picious tale. Where iguanas are 

 numerous, eggs in open nests are 

 not what the life insurance com- 

 panies would call a safe risk. 



An easy way, not well known, to 

 head off these climbing thieves has 

 occurred to me. Nail a broad band 

 of sheet metal round the trunk of 

 the tree. After trying various cap- 

 tive animals, I find that none of 

 the ordinary kinds can pass such a 

 band if it is 12 inches wide, so here 

 is a new use for the ubiquitous kero- 

 sene tin. Split the tins open and 

 nail them round the trunks of fruit 

 trees a foot or more above the 

 ground, and the fruit is safe from opossums and all other climbers. The 





Tree with sheet-metal nailed round the trunk 

 to ward off noxious climbing animals, 

 such as fruit-eaters and nest-robbers. 



