2 2jJ- 
XATURK XOTES 
archway : everything seems waiting in readiness for the resurrec- 
tion of the year, and a few bright days are sure to bring out 
some venturesome harbinger of spring. By I'ebruary the birds 
will be singing again and we may begin to search for early 
nests, and with the first March daffodils Nature will seem to 
rise and shake herself, and in the lengthening days and clearer 
sunshine set steadily to her work of renewing the face of the 
earth. 
Angela Brazil. 
AN AUTUMN WALK IN TASMANIA. 
N a beautifully sunny morning about equinox time, 
I left Devonport by the main coast road westward, my 
companion an enthusiastic naturalist from the city of 
Launceston, who had snatched a day or two from the 
turmoil of business, to spend amid the bush surroundings in 
which his soul delights. Having breasted the hill, and obtained 
a fine view over the Mersey Bluff and out to sea, we turned 
down a bye-road known locally as the Bee-track, which runs 
through a belt of scrub to the Don River. While passing under 
the tall peppermint-gums and among the he-oaks we could not 
help being struck by the spring-like air which pervaded all things 
we saw. The trees and shrubs sent forth their aromatic per- 
fumes into the golden air, while birds in bright plumage flitted 
from tree to tree, or chased each other, with many a joyous cry, 
among the branches. The crescent honey-eaters and their near 
relatives the New-Hollands were specially conspicuous on this 
occasion, their rapid movements causing the yellow-barred 
wings to flash like living gold in the sunlight. Robins are 
numerous too, but are much quieter than the nectar-lovers just 
alluded to : both the scarlet-breasted and the flame-breasted are 
plentiful here, the brilliant red of the latter extending down w'ell 
below the breast and giving the appearance of a glowing coal to 
the front of the bird : the hens and young males are both clad 
in sober grey, the latter frequently breaking into song in late 
summer and early autumn, as if already the spring influence 
stirred in their young blood. This group has had bestowed 
upon it the title of chat-robins, because some of the members 
use a combative note something like the word “ chat,” sharply 
spoken, or the noise made by two stones struck smartly together. 
They have the habit of flying in front of one from post to post 
of the roadside fence, not in a direct line, but making a quick 
dash into the paddock on the further side of the fence and then 
suddenly re-appearing on the top of the next post. That is the 
habit of the two species, the scarlet- and the flame-breasted, 
which are most frequently seen in this locality : the little pink- 
breasted robin, so pleasing in its quiet beauty, is much too shy 
