190 Mr. R. Hall 07i Birds 
the "western boy is very much that of the eastern when this 
bird is seen for the lirst time, judging by the remark he 
makes : " Look at the Wattle-bird^s nest on which some one 
has thrown a piece of bark." As the ^^ bark ^^ moves the 
true state of afiPairs becomes apparent : it is a Frog-mouth 
upon it. Mimicry of wood and bark is a distinctly protective 
act. 
Two nests observed (13.10.99) were composed of a meagre 
number of short twigs with a few lanceolate green leaves 
upon each cluster, while both were upon horizontal forks. 
Breadth of iiest 8 inches by 5 ; there was but a slight depres- 
sion : it was placed in a Banksia, 8 feet from the ground. 
The young faced the wind and the nesting parent had to be 
almost pushed away. 
49. Halcyon pyrrhopygius. lled-baeked Kingfisher. 
(Hall's Key, p. 57.) 
A. Sk. ad. c? . ") 27.10.99. Geraldton. 
B. Nestlmgs. J 
The appearance of the nestlings, which are but a few days 
old, is surprising. A mass of highly refractive and pale 
silvery-blue quills, that are exceedingly long, makes them 
appear very different to young birds in general. These quills 
shew no barbs and each feather is still within its sheath, in 
which the barbules are feebly developed. The quills of the 
whole ventral surface are silvery white, less so on the throat. 
The quills of the head are fine, imbricated, and silvery in 
appearance. The quills of the wings and back are pale silvery 
blue. The tail-quills are deep blue for the partly exposed 
basal two-thirds ; silvery blue for the terminal third. The 
upper tail-coverts are also in the quill stage, being white 
with a rufous tint upon them, as if to indicate the coming 
rufous coverts proper. Beginning at the interscapuliura, 
passing along the spinal tract, and ending below the rump 
is a series of nut-brown quills that indicate the future area 
of chestnut feathers. The tip of the beak is pink like the 
lower mandible, which has a subterminal black band. Both 
tips are sharply decurved (in each specimen), as if the bird 
