on his Visit to Australia.



259



note was heard in almost every bush. In the capture of these I

found no difficulty. I procured a trap-cage with four compart¬

ments at the top. At first I thought I should require a call-bird

in the bottom part of the cage reserved for this purpose, but,

although the species swarmed all round Sydney, none of the

bird-dealers knew how to procure one for me, so I proceeded

without one. I placed two bananas, one on each of the two

clumps of bushes close to the Secretary’s office, and in a short

time I found that the skin of these alone remained, the inside

having been eaten completely away. I then set the trap-cage in

one of the bushes, baiting each of the four compartments with a

piece of banana, and when I examined the trap about lialf-an-

liour later it contained four White-eyes. I had no difficulty

whatever in catching as many specimens of Zosterops as I wanted

and very soon had a cage full. These did very well, and I should

doubtless have brought nearly all of them home, but 011 our

return journey, during a gale in the Indian Ocean, a huge sea

smashed in the side of our bird-house on the steamer’s deck,

some thirty feet above water line, and completely swamped the

cage containing these fragile birds, which resulted in the loss of

all.


Blue Wrens sometimes got into the trap-cage, but always

managed to squeeze out through the bars. But I was not

particularly anxious to catch these, as I had arranged with a

professional bird-catcher to secure all I wanted, and it would

have been a pity to rob the Sydney Zoo. of one of its, to me,

most charming occupants.


The Black and White Fantail Flycatcher was always to be

seen near the stores shed where, by the kindness of the Secretary,

I was permitted to keep most of my live stock. Flies frequented

this shed literally in millions, so the Fantails had a splendid

time, and it was delightful to watch the clever manner in which

they snapped up their prey. These house flies were much

appreciated by a cage-full of Garrulous Honey-eaters (Manorhina

oarnila') which proved themselves to be extraordinarily clever at

capturing them, and I should hardly be exaggerating if I were to

say that no fly that was foolish enough to enter this cage was

quick enough to escape from it.



