BIRDS IN MY GARDEN. 10? 



Although a fine bird, with many pleasing notes and ways, the Currawang is not a favourite' 

 being the chief medium for the spread of that national curse, the " Prickly Pear." 1 have seen pear 

 seeds in the birds' droppings miles away from the nearest known plant ; a passage through the 

 digestive organs appearing to greatly hasten the germination of the seed. During its stay with us 

 the Currawang is a tame and stupid bird, frequenting the garden in dozens. When in the mountains 

 it is a shy, wide-awake fellow. Numbers of the birds are shot during winter for fox baits, but they 

 are not readily scared away. 



Thev eat anything — meat, insects, fruit and berries being on their menu ; they assist the Magpies 

 in disposing of the liver, fill themselves with pepper tree berries which they drop into the house 

 spouting, and thereby^ choke the down pipes, strip off juniper and privet berries, and dig up an 

 occasional worm. 



The Yellowtail or Tit (Acanlhiza chrysorrhoa) is useful and numerous. They collect into flocks 

 and desert the garden during winter, returning in early spring, when they build in almost every 

 suitable bush. Thev eat immense quantities of aphis from the rose bushes, and are energetic, jolly 

 little chaps. 



The Diamond Sparrow {Slaganopleura giitltitu) is quite as numerous as the Tit, but far less useful, 

 feeding almost entirely or seeds and young herbage. They are present all the year round, and breed 

 freely. I have counted ten nests, new and old, in one large rose trellis. 



Wagtails [Rhipidura tricolor), Jacky Winters (Microeca fasciiians), and Peewits (Grallina picata) 

 remain in the garden all the year round, and nest freely. The White-shafted and Rufous Fantails 

 [Rhipidura albiscapa and 1\'. rufifrons) are occasional visitors, but always welcome. 



Of Quail I have noted four species, but this family appears to prefer the adjoining grass land. 



Peaceful Doves (Geopelia placida) are numerous, in spite of many falling victims to tame cats, the 

 bird being a ground feeder, stupid, and easily caught. 



The Pectoral Rail (Hypot&nidia philippensis) is a rare visitor, and the only one of the family 

 noted. 



The Plover family are represented by the Spur-winged, Black-breasted and the Black-fronted 

 Dotterel, the two first named being too shy to become regular residents. The same applies to the 

 Stone Plover [Burhinus grallarius) , whose mournful call is not so frequently heard since the advent 

 of the fox, several of which I have poisoned in the garden. 



The Straw-necked Ibis and White-fronted Heron appear on the lawns occasionally on Sunday, 

 during the absence of the gardeners ; the Night Heron has been noted also. Wood Ducks come some- 

 times at night to feed on the irrigated lawns. Black Ducks frequently fly over, while on one memorable 

 occasion a broken-winged Swan was discovered, injured by either mistaking an iron roof for water or 

 flying into the telephone wires. 



The Grey and Common Goshawk (Aslur clarus and A. fasciatus, the latter a frequent visitor), 

 Sparrow Hawk {Accipiter cirrhocephalus), and Little Falcon (Fako lunulatus) have been shot while 

 attacking fowls or pigeons. The other birds make an unmistakable fuss when these marauders are 

 about. 



Brown Hawks, Whistling Eagles, and an occasional Wedge-tailed Eagle have been seen about 

 the garden. The beautiful little Black-shouldered Kite and Nankeen Kestrel are useful, and therefore 

 never interfered with. 



Owls are represented by three species, viz., Boobook, Winking, and Delicate (Ninox boobook, N. 

 connivens, and Strix delicatula) ; they are all useful as vermin killers, though I had to destroy a 

 Winker " who took a fancy to young fowls. 



