FEBRUARY 



73 



the chicks are all hunting for themselves. But they are still 

 in family groups ; and though the young ones can use their 

 wings and catch their dinners, the big world is full of unknown 

 dangers, and they fly back to t^heir parents at the first sound of 

 alarm. Half-way down the gully we met a family of yellow- 

 bobs, the two youngsters distinguishable from their parents by 

 the streaks of brown still discernible on the coats of green and 

 grey and yellow. A family of thrushes played about in the 

 tree tops, the glad voices of the parents ringing out every now 

 and then in encouragement. 



It is really a month of debutantes, for all the young birds 

 are entering into the arena of life, and are trying their little 

 voices in the universal song. At present they are all garbed 

 in their distinctive gowns, which, by-and-bye, they will change 

 for the more conspicuous livery of grown-ups. By this time 

 next year they will all be bringing out sons and daughters of 

 their own, but now youth and freedom are theirs. 



Altogether it is a fascinating time in the bush, this time of 

 transition and fulfilment. And already on some of the early 

 wattles are to be seen the tiniest of tiny buds, which telll of the 

 flowers to come, and of the eternal cycle which never ceases. 



FLOWERS BLOOMING. 



Bursaria spinosa White box, blackthorn 



Acacia linearis 



Lomatia salaifolia Wild parsley 



Persoonia pinifolia 



Eranthemum variabile 



