66 
NATURE NOTES. 
the epacris stalks, and insert his slender bill into each blossom 
in turn until the whole have been explored. For the third 
species, he is a good deal smaller than the last, and his plumage 
is very quiet in tone, being mainly a dark grey, with a some- 
what lighter collar ; he is, however, no way behind the others 
in energy, either at work- or at play, and makes as much noise 
as any of them. 
But the inner man is reminding us that breakfast will not 
be unacceptable at this stage, for the fresh morning air has 
sharpened our appetites ; so we turn our backs for the time 
on our feathered friends, and trudge back through the boronias 
and wattles and gum saplings to the hut upon the hill, where a 
blazing log fire soon beams from the capacious chimney, and 
the bush piano (the frying-pan) plays the pleasantest of airs. 
Hamilton Stuart Dove. 
Table Cape, Sept. lotJi, 1892. 
ANTICIPATIONS. 
How slowly winter weeps itself away 
And lingers, while impatient for the spring 
We watch the melting snows, and thrushes sing 
A hesitating prophecy of May. 
Spring comes not yet, but sometimes there arises 
From the warm south a gentle air that sings 
Of what will be, and softly murmuring brings 
A tale to us of summer’s sweet surprises. 
And bright there comes to us a golden gleam 
We see before us, stretching far away. 
The April soon to be, the fairer IMay, 
The golden shining June, and in a dream 
We journey far aw’ay from winter bare. 
We taste in fancy all the summer’s pleasures 
We see beforehand April’s rarest treasures. 
And fly with wings of swiftest fancy — where ? 
Away to the meadows ! the cowslips are sweet, 
The morning is dewy, and up from my feet. 
Springs the lark with his love song, no gladder is heard, 
’Tis the merriest love song e’er carolled by bird. 
Away to the brookside ! the dragon flies skim 
Over pools, under alders so dusky and dim. 
The sunlight gleams on shallow and reach. 
The kingfisher glows past the shingly beach, 
