100 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



awash at high water, building its nest, in company with the 

 Ephthianura, just out of reach of the encroaching tide. 



During the later months of the year the plaintive note of the 

 Reed Warbler is heard amongst the rushes and reeds which 

 fringe the river's bank in places ; his nest is tolerably secure here 

 from marauding boys, and he is likely to be one of the last to be 

 driven from his old haunts. 



On the low sandy rises between Sandridge and the river, 

 where the low scrub and tussocky grass is not all cleared away, 

 the Rufous-headed Grass Warbler builds its fairy-like home, and 

 the Pectoral Rail runs amongst the grasses, though in sadly 

 diminished numbers. 



The immense tract of marshy land known as the West 

 Melbourne Swamp has proved an inexhaustible harvest field for 

 the microscopist, and will continue so for many years to come. 

 Those stagnant pools and slimy water weeds are swarming with 

 objects of intense interest to the searcher after minute forms — 

 Diatoms, Desmids, and scores of other objects, all too numerous 

 to mention here, many of them so tiny that the naked eye cannot 

 see them, and yet each has its allotted place in the mighty 

 universe. Unsavoury as it undoubtedly is, much can be learned 

 from a walk along the banks of the Lower Yarra. 



The dense scrub along the coast between Mordialloc and 

 Frank ston, and even back to Brighton, affords favourite coverts 

 for many of our birds, more especially the smaller species. 

 When the Banksias are in bloom it would be hard to fmd a 

 better collecting ground for many varieties of Honeyeaters. 

 The peculiar discordant note of the Wattled Honeyeater rings 

 out its warning cry from every tree-top, and its smaller congener, 

 the Brush Wattle Bird, is also fairly plentiful. 



This strip of coast country may be said to be the chosen 

 habitat of the New Holland Honeyeater. These birds feed in 

 scores amongst the flowers of the Banksia ; or, when such 

 flowers are not obtainable, may be seen preying upon insects, 

 which they nimbly catch whilst on the wing. 



In the darkest patches of scrub, the Mountain Thrush has her 

 nest, returning year after year to the old home, rebuilding and 

 renovating it to render it fit for habitation. This is a very shy 

 bird, and being extremely silent in its habits, is not by any means 

 the easiest specimen to secure. When pushing through the 

 dense thicket the hunter makes his presence known long before 

 he comes upon the nest, and then the bird is far away. Viewed 

 from below, the nest appears to be merely an accumulation of 

 rubbish, overgrown with moss and lichens ; but a closer inspection 

 reveals a com, act, cup-shaped nest, warmly lined with fine grass, 

 in which repose two or three delicate green eggs, blotched with 

 dull pink. 



