41 
June 80, 1908. The Queensland Naturalist. 
too flat, and the tone falls too gradually for a fixed string 
like a piano "wire. 
From a glimpse of this bird, he appears about as large 
as a sparrow, but thinner, and is apparently either striped 
or spotted in two shades of grey. 
NOTES ON NIGHT-SINGING BIRDS.* 
By Henry Tryon. 
I cannot, from Mr. Hull’s account, definitely identify 
the interesting songster. 1 am disposed to conclude, 
however, that it will be found to be n*:ne other than the 
little Silver Eye,” Zosterops coerulescens . This state- 
ment will apjiear strange to one who is familiar with its 
almost inaudible but distinct utterance, given vent to as 
it threads its way through the leafy branches of some 
shrub during the day. How^ever, after sunset (and also 
before sunrise), w'hen the last twitters of other members 
of the feathered tribe have subsided, and when it is too 
dark to recognise its outline even, it sings a plaintive song 
of great sw-eetness, in which the few distinct notes uttered 
have a definite cadence, and travel far. It is only at 
certain seasons of the year apparently that this happens. 
It has been my experience to hear the song both during the 
few^ weeks succeeding Christmas. I was 
awakened by the singing of the Zosterops about a week 
since (20th Dec.), and arose while it *was still dark, although 
the day was about to dawn, to listen to its pleasantly 
modulated voice. 
Other birds that sing tliroughout the night are Horse- 
field’s Lark, Mirafra horsfieldi. This bird resembles in 
appearance the so-called Ground Lark (w'hich, however, 
being a Pipit, is named Anthus australis), but has a longer 
tail, and this lacks the lateral white feathers of the organ 
as presented by the latter. Horsefield’s Lark occurs about 
Brisbane, but 1 fail to recognise either its song or habits 
in Mr. Hull’s description. 
Then there is the “ Shepherd’s Com23anion,” or Black 
and White Fantail {Bhipidura tricolor). This, unlike the 
preceding two birds, sings usually only when disturbed, 
and more especially during moonlight nights. I recently 
heard this bird singing at intervals till nearly midnight. 
On the borders of tlie scrub lands of our coast a bird 
that asserts itself at a very early hour is the Yellow-breasted 
Robin {Eopsaltria australis). This has won for it the title 
* Read at meeting on 10th April, 1008. 
