on Birds of Neiv South Wales I have caught and kept. 269


abouts. They are very jealous birds, and will not allow another

pair within their “sphere of influence,” which I noticed in all

Australian birds, and yet a dozen and more will select one water-hole

and meet there quite amiably at a certain time, generally between

4 and 4.30 p.m. These birds are hard to catch, as they will take no

notice of a decoy bird, and the only place to get them is the water-

hole—if you can find it. For years I spent with my children one

day a week in the bush, always with our eyes open for any bird we

might meet, yet so far we found only one nest of the Blood-bird

right out. It was built in a wattle tree and made of the dead blooms

of the wattle laced together, a flimsy structure, looking just like a

nest of a species of a hairy caterpillar often seen in the bush about

here. This nest contained three eggs, but returning a week later we

found it empty. No doubt a Butcher-bird was the culprit, the worst

enemy of our small birds. I have never tried to breed the Blood-

bird, but I should not think it more difficult than to breed any other

Honeysucker. Many of them have lived in my aviaries quite a long

time, doing' well on brown sugar and water, and as the flight is large

they catch of course a great number of minute insects as well. In

the open I have seen them on dull days come right down low, hunt¬

ing the turpentine and other shrubs for little spiders and insects.

They are not susceptible to cold, but a draught will surely kill them.

It is a pity that these vivacious and winsome little gems have not

yet been introduced into England.


Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris. This bird is much lovelier

than the beautiful name scientists have given it. We call them

“ Spine-bill ” Honeyeater, and were it smaller it would make a

beautiful Sun-bird. Not so gorgeously attired as the Blood-bird, this

little treasure is much more interesting. Always near the ground, it

will visit low shrubs, hovering over a flower here or clinging to the

stem of another, and dipping its long, slender, curved bill into the

flower. One meets this “flower kisser” always and anywhere in

the bush or garden, and it allows one to come quite close, showing

very little fear. Strange to say, they build very high; the nests

which came under my notice were placed on the outer branches

of high gum trees. We feed them as the Blood-bird ; in addition

they get sponge cake, bread and milk sweetened, soft-bill food and



