84 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



By Mr. F. M. Reader. — Dried specimens of grass, Poa 

 hackeli, no v. sp., in illustration of his paper. 



After the usual conversazione the meeting terminated. 



BIRD LIFE ON OLINDA CREEK. 



By C. L. Barrett. 



{Read hefore the Field Naturalists' Cluh of Victoria, lith May, 1906.) 



For several years past I have spent my week-ends and brief 

 holidays in the Olinda Vale district, about three miles south-east 

 of Lilydale, with two congenial and enthusiastic companions, 

 Messrs. E. B. NichoUs and C. P. Kinane. 



Our headquarters are formed by a picturesque old bush shanty 

 on the Olinda Creek, which we purchased from one of the 

 village settlers, and named " Walden Hut," after the woodland 

 home of Henry D. Thoreau, the immortal poet-naturalist and 

 hermit of Concord, near Boston, in the United States. 



It was our admiration for the work of such nature-lovers as 

 Thoreau, Gilbert White, and John Burroughs that induced us to 

 make a humble attempt to follow in their steps by searching out 

 a wild spot in the Victorian bush within reasonable distance of 

 the city, and to devote our spare time to observing the wild life 

 of the district. In brief, our ambition was to compile a nature 

 calendar after the style of Gilbert White's " Natural History of 

 Selborne," with the addition of photographic records of the wild 

 life met with. 



How far we have been successful in our endeavour it is not for 

 us to say, but the selection of Mr. C. P. Kinane's photographs 

 from nature, exhibited to-night, will give members of the Club 

 some idea of the work we are attempting to accomplish. 



Although the pictures may seem a very small result for nearly 

 three years' work, only those who have tried to photograph wild 

 birds and animals in situ can form any idea of the amount of 

 patience and trouble involved in obtaining even one successful 

 negative. Some birds, of course, such as the familiar Yellow 

 Robin, Eopsaltria australis, Lath., are comparatively easy 

 subjects, but when it comes to snapping the shy Coach whip-bird, 

 Psophodes crepitans, Vig. and Hors., or the dainty Blue Wren, 

 Malurus cyaneus, Ellis, in characteristic attitudes, the nature- 

 photographer must possess his soul in infinite patience, and be 

 prepared for many spoilt plates ere obtaining a presentable 

 picture. 



The Olinda district we found to be peculiarly suited to our 

 purpose, owing to the great diversity of the country within a few 

 miles radius of our hut. Like White's parish of Selborne in 

 Hampshire, Olinda Vale is made up of " hill, dale, woodland, 



