To distinguish the two Australian varieties, Manor hina melanophryS is called 

 Bell Miner. Unlike the nearly pure white Guiana Bell-Bird, it is of a beautiful 

 golden green plumage, except the wings and tail, which are dark brown. The 

 eyes are dark brown, the legs and feet a light orange. In the case of this 

 bird the notes seemed to me a faint tinkle, like the sound of distant sheep- 

 bells. I heard a flock of 50 of these remarkable birds give a charming concert 

 about a little lake 20 miles from Melbourne. 



Mr. H» R. Haeus ler, ( Emu ,vol. 22, Jan. 1923) has had unusual opportunities 

 to study the Kiwi ( Apteryx mantelli) , and finds his vision, during the day 

 time at least, to be very poor. Chopped meat, worms, etc. placed in front of 

 these wingless, nocturnal, New Zealand birds were apparently not preceived at 

 all until they had been 'felt' by the super-sensitive terminals of their long 

 mandibles. Both these articles of food as well as the entrances to worm holes 

 were located by "tapping" about with their closed bills. Mr, Haeusler is 

 convinced that in gathering food and for most other purposes involving local- 

 ization, neither sight nor smell is to any extent relied upon; the bird locates 

 objects mainly, and in many instances entirely by touch. Having found the en- 

 trance to a worm-hole, the Kiwi enlarges it to a funnel- shaped cavity and, 

 after grasping the prey, pulls steadily upon the worm until the latter is tired 

 out, looses its hold and is drawn to the surface. If alarmed, the Apteryx 



plays * possum" and with bill stuck into the ground keeps as still as death, 

 its peculiar coloring making it difficult to see the bird as long as it does 

 not move - the old story of protective coloration. From my own observations 

 of this remarkable species I am convinced that its night vision is much better 

 than its diurnal, as indicated by its liveliness at night and its pronounced 

 orange-red fundus, which closely resembles that of the Owls. I had several 

 opportunities of observing these birds and of examining their eyes in the 

 London Zoo. 



TOiat human being is competent to interpret the workings of the unfettered 

 avian mind ? And yet the psychology of the wild (so-called) lower animal is 

 much more definite and constant than that of domesticated and civilized man. 

 The real meaning and vital relations of many acts performed by a wild bird are 

 a closed book to us. It is true that we may now and then hazard a guess at 

 what is going on within the brain (or other nerve centres) of our feathered re- 

 latives, and often we may think we have lifted the psychic veil, but a study 

 of comparative psychology must soon reveal the almost insurmountable obstacles 

 that lie in our path. Here is a minor problem - A delightful house in a cer- 

 tain California town where I was a guest, was set in a beautiful garden of five 

 acres. About its centre was an artificial lilly-pond, the home of a pair of 

 piniond mallards, raised in captivity from the nestling age. Although they 

 were nearly a year old when I first saw them, they never became very tame, and 

 would not allow a stranger to approach them. During the migration season their 

 wild brethren visited them in small numbers, sometimes pausing a whole day on 

 their long journey north or south. These incidents, combined with their com- 

 parative isolation, tended to keep them wary and suspicious. However, they 

 always came to the call of the chauffeur and the master of the house, especially 

 at meal time when they were fed vdth cracked corn, of which they were very fond. 



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