Birds of N.S. Wales I have caught and kept.



241



scrub. Unlike their relatives, the Grey melodious Thrushes, they

are much easier to keep alive, living principally on bread and milk.

Of all the Scrub-birds, if not in plumage yet in interest, I like the

Coachwhip best (Psophodes crepitans). The shape is that of the

cardinal, principally dark green, a trifle mottled on the breast and

abdomen, the large white cheek and black crest set the bird off well.

It is the tail, however, which gives it its stateliness, long, edged with

black and white, they have a knack of spreading and closing it as a fan ;

in fact, they use their tail in the same coquettish way as a lady her

fan at a ball. They are remarkably quick birds afoot, and it requires a

fast trap to catch this bird. When the male bird cracks, no sooner

is the last note emitted than the hen will answer with two weaker

cracks, the pair always keeping close together. It is wonderful what

a volume of sound a Coachman can emit; to see him perched above

the call-bird letting out an especially strong and angry crack is a

sight worth seeing, a sound worth hearing. His crest stands then

very straight, the wings drooped, and the tail spread out to its full

capacity ; with head proudly thrown back he whips out his defiance

and challenge. Often have I seen the bird overbalance himself

through the recoil of the volume of his own sound. In captivity

they do well, soon repaying the care bestowed on them, and sound¬

ing their whips ; yet it is not advisable to keep them with smaller

birds on account of their fondness for brains. Pigeons, such as the

Wonga and Bronzewing's, are still plentiful in the scrubs, and

though I have tried hard, whilst the Bronzewing's breed easily, the

Wonga I never succeeded with. Then there are the King Parrots, Lyre

Birds and Brush Turkeys. The latter come down from the ridges

early in the morning to scratch for food along the creeks and narrow

flats where the undergrowth is not so dense. They are stupid birds,

and I never relished the “ sport ” of shooting them. If hunted with

a dog the bird will, when flushed, fly to the nearest tree and sit

there gazing down at the dog' not fifteen feet below it ; in that

position a noose may be thrown over its head without fear of hunt¬

ing it away ; how different from the chase of his brothers in the

plains ! The only way to get at them is by riding or driving straight

at them, and only then a quick eye and a good gun will land the

bird. I suppose I ought not to mention hunting in this paper, but



