220 THE BEUSH WATTLE BIED. 



The wings of the Eriar Bird are rather short in proportion to its size, so that its flight 

 is undulating in its character, the body rising and dropping alternately as the bird flies 

 from one tree to another. It is, however, a strong- winged bird, and can maintain a flight 

 of considerable length. Although apparently unprovided with weapons of offence, this 

 bird is a most courageous and determined fighter, and when wounded and unable to escape 

 from its captor, can strike so fiercely with the feet, that the sharp curved claws will 

 make very painful wounds in the hands of any one who attempts to seize it without 

 proper precaution. 



Indeed, the disposition of this bird is decidedly of the pugnacious order, and when it 

 becomes a parent it is the terror of all large birds that may happen to pass near the spot 

 where it has made its nest. Every hawk, no matter how powerful it may be, and every 

 crow, no matter how long and strong of biU, is immediately attacked by tliis valiant bird, 

 who launches itself at the marauder with such reckless courage, that it always forces the 

 enemy to take to flight, and drives it far from the sacred spot over which it exercises such 

 watchful vigilance. 



The nest certainly stands in need of a protector, for it is very large and clumsy in 

 appearance, and is placed on the low branch of a tree, with such little care for concealment 

 that it is visible from afar, and if left unprotected would soon be pillaged of eggs or 

 young by the crows, and other predaceous birds, who are always on the watch for eggs 

 or unfledged birds, and make desolate many a happy nesthold. The nest is composed 

 externally of fine twigs and strips of " stringy bark," and is lined with various grasses, 

 fine roots, and wool. The eggs are generally two or three in number, and their colour 

 is pale salmon, variegated with small spots of dark red. The breeding season is in the 

 month of November, In Gould's " Birds of Australia " may be seen some admirable 

 figures of this bird, together with a full description of its habits and plumage. 



In its colouring the Eriar Bird is rather sombre, although the uniform dulness of its 

 hue is relieved by a sparing admixture of white. The entire head is devoid of feathers, 

 being covered with a dull black, leather-like skin, sufficiently singular in itself, but 

 deriving an additional shade of grotesqueness from the large round black knob upon the 

 base of the bill. The whole of the upper surface is a greyish-brown, and the tail is of 

 the same hue with the exception of the extremity, which is tipped with pure white. 

 A number of long lancet-shaped feathers of the same beautiful white hang from the 

 breast, each feather being marked with a line of rather dark brown down its centre. With 

 the exception of these pendent breast-feathers, the whole of the under surface is light 

 brown marked with a rusty red. The colour of the eye is red. 



Tliis is not the only species of Eriar Birds, several other examples of this curious 

 genus being known. There is, for example, the Silveey-ceowned Eeiae Bied {Tro])ido- 

 rliynchus argenticeps), an inhabitant of the north-western coast of Australia, and the 

 Yellow -THEOATED Eeiae Bied {Troj)idorliyndms citreoguldris), which takes its place in the 

 interior of Southern Australia. The generic name Tropidorhynchus is of Greek origin, 

 and signifies keel-beaked. 



Anothee common and rather striking example of the Honey-eaters is the Wattled 

 HoNEY-EATEE, or Beush Wattle Bied of Australia. 



This pretty bird is spread over the whole of Southern Australia, and is one of the best 

 known of the birds belonging to that country. It may generally be found upon lofty 

 trees, and, like others of the same group, especially haunts the eucalypti for the purpose 

 of feeding upon the juices of the flowers. It always chooses the most recently opened 

 blossoms, as they are not so likely to be rifled of their sweet stores as those which have 

 been exposed to the attacks of the honey-eating insects and birds. The method of feeding 

 is the same as that which is pursued by the other Honey-eaters, viz. by plunging the 

 long bill and slender tongue into the very depths of the blossoms, and brushing out their 

 contents. It also has a great affection for the flowers of the Banksia, and is sure to be 

 found wherever these plants are in blossom, thereby doing good service to the intending 

 purchaser of land ; for the Banksia always grows upon poor soil, so that, according to 



