THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 143 



also found within a short distance of Melbourne, in the cool 

 retreats of the Dandenong Ranges. The honey-eater is a noisy 

 bird, and often comes into the gardens, where its moss-made nest, 

 containing two white sparsely-spotted eggs, is sometimes found in 

 the lemon trees. The Ground-Thrush is represented here by the 

 Russet-tailed species, Geocichla heinii. 



The " Big Scrub " is the home of the Rifle-bird, Ptilorhis 

 paradisea, which belongs to a subdivision of the Birds of Paradise. 

 There are three species of Rifle-birds in Australia, all frequenting 

 the eastern coastal districts, but this species has tne most southern 

 habitat. It is not adorned with plumes of any description, but 

 the dress of the male bird, nevertheless, is very handsome velvety- 

 black, bespangled on the crown of the head and chest with scale- 

 like feathers of a brilliant metallic green, while the young male and 

 the female wear coats of a protective brownish colour. The 

 Rifle-bird hunts for its food about the tree trunks, and may be 

 seen running up the stem, prying into every crevice with its long 

 sickle-shaped beak, or disappearing into the holes in search of 

 insects, much after the manner of a Tree-creeper. Its call is 

 harsh and easily recognized. There can be no mistaking the 

 measured " yass yass " of the male bird, uttered so deliberately, 

 with a pause of a second or two between each syllable. A short 

 single " yass " locates the female, while a young male perhaps 

 may attempt the double call, but it is hurried and unpractised. 

 For many years the nest and eggs of the Rifle-bird remained 

 undiscovered, till at last, only the season previous to my visit, 

 they were brought to light by the energy of Mr. Bailey and a 

 friend. The eggs proved to be as uniquely marked as those of 

 the other two species, and the nest was curiously ornamented with 

 pieces of shed snake-skin. 



At the time of my visit to the Scrub the majority of birds had 

 finished nesting, and very few eggs were obtained, but there was 

 reason to believe the season had been very early, for the previous 

 winter, being very mild, had induced the birds to begin nesting 

 sooner than usual ; whereas in December and January of the 

 previous season the Rifle-bird's and several Fruit-Pigeons' nests 

 were taken. But about Wollongbar the scrub is being cleared off 

 considerably, and consequently the birds are moving back. One 

 week I spent, at the invitation of Mr. H. R. Elvery, who is an 

 enthusiastic oologist, at his selection near Alstonville, where the 

 birds were more numerous and less disturbed. One bird pointed 

 out to me was the Albert Lyre-bird, Menura alberti, which was 

 heard in the mornings whistling away along the creek, imitating 

 other birds' calls to perfection. The male of this Lyre-bird does 

 not possess the two large feathers in the tail as found in the 

 other two species. Among the lilies in the scrub occasionally 

 are seen the leaf-made egg-mounds of the Brush Turkey, Tale- 



