171


in tlie best part of the day. In the front part of the room there

were two tables covered with potted plants, and in front of the

tables, in the bay window, were some large eucalyptus trees, etc.,

for the birds to perch upon. The two White-ears soon shewed a

desire to nest ; there were several nesting-boxes in their house,

but the presence of the other birds was too much for their timid

nature, or possibly the boxes were too artificial to arouse their

nesting instincts, and they soon declared their intentions of

nesting in a flower-pot in which a creeper was growing, at the

edge of one of the tables. Finding they were in earnest, that

they would not nest anywhere else and fretted when separated

from this pot, I shut off the other birds and let them have their

wa}^


A domed nest was quickly built, with the aperture of

course facing the window ; but the construdlion was flimsy ; and

when in the room I could see the birds through the back of the

nest ; and this seemed to distress them greatly. I supplied

abundance of material in the wa}^ of dried grasses, but the}^ were

exceedingl}^ dissatisfied, and hunted all over the place for some-

thing more. I then threw down other materials, and they

instantly pounced on the feathers, of which they took a large

number, very thickl}^ lining the whole interior with them,

including the roof : moss, hair, etc., they did not touch. But

the precious nest was far too precious to be slept in ; and they

quickl}'- betrayed by their squatting instincfls still closer affinity

with personata (see page 185 of vol. III.). Before nightfall of

the first day they commenced to build a squatting-place on the

floor, some three or four feet from the nest but in a place from

which they could keep an eye on it. I took the hint and placed

some travelling cages about this spot, of one of which they

immediately took possession, and in which they invariabl}^

passed the night, and also a good part of the day when the nest

was finished. But day followed day and matters did not progress ;

the nest had been industriously and carefully built and finished,

but beyond carrying up an occasional feather or piece of grass

everything seemed at a standstill : something was wrong, and it

was only too clear what that something was : the male was sick.

For some time I had been watching him with anxiety, but he

was steadily going down hill, and was soon a thing of the past.

It would probably have been wiser had I resisted their strong

inclinations to go to nest until I had had them longer — but they

came from a good home, they were in comfortable quarters, and

I thought I might risk it.



