On my Visit to Australia.



209



NOTES ON MY VISIT TO AUSTRALIA.


By David Seth-Smith, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U.


(i Continued from page 165).


FERN-TREE GUELY.


Although I had been fortunate enough to see a number of

Victorian birds, there were still some that I was particularly

anxious to meet with, foremost among which was the Lyre Bird,

the native Pheasant of the Colonists. This bird, I was told could

generally be heard at least, if not actually seen, within some

thirty miles of Melbourne, and I was advised to make my way to

Fern-tree Gully, where I should have as good a chance of meet¬

ing with this bird as anywhere. For studying wild life there is

no time like the early morning, when every bird is abroad, busily

searching for its breakfast. My time was very much occupied

with the serious business part of my expedition so that I had not

the necessary leisure to go and stay in the bush as I should like

to have done. I had therefore to content myself on this occasion

with a half-day trip.


I decided to take the earliest train in the day to Fern-tree

Gully station. This, I ascertained, left a few minutes before

6 a.m. so, on the morning of February 13th, I left my hotel in

time to catch this train, which landed me at my destination soon

after 7 a.m.


Having, with some difficulty procured an early breakfast

at the Fern-tree Gully Hotel, I commenced my rambles. A foot¬

path led up the side of a hill through thick scrub. Eucalyptus trees

towered above one and beneath them acacias, tree ferns and the

handsome cabbage palm. The thicket resounded with the songs

of birds from the rich notes of the Magpies or the melodious

notes of the Harmonious Ground-thrush to the tiny twitterings

of the White-eye (. Zosterops ) or the Blue Wrens (Mahirus). One

magnificent little specimen of the last-named species afforded me

considerable delight as he hopped about on the grassy path in

front of me, his little tail cocked up over his back and the blue

shields on his head and back shining in the sunlight like polished

turquoise. Of all the birds I saw in Australia I liked none so

well as the glorious little Blue Wren !



