THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Although undoubtedly well-known to most of the earliest collectors, Gould’s 
notes appear to constitute the first recorded field observations, as follows: 
“ This bird is stationary in all parts of Tasmania, New South Wales, and South 
Australia, where it is not only to be met with in the forests and thickets, but 
also in nearly every garden. It even builds its nest and rears its young in 
the shrubs and rose-trees bordering the walks. Among the trees of the forest 
the beautiful Leptospermmn is the one to which at all times this species evinces 
a great partiality. Its flight is quick and darting, and when among the branches 
of the trees it is as active as most birds, prying and searching with scrutinizing 
care into the leaves and flowers for the insects upon which it feeds. It is some¬ 
times seen singly or in pairs, while at others it is to be observed in great numbers, 
on the same or neighbouring trees. It is of a familiar disposition, and utters 
a pretty and very lively song. . . . The sexes present no difference of 
plumage . . . throat greyish -white . . . flanks light chestnut-brown. 
. . . In some specimens the throat and sides of the head are wax-yellow, 
and the flanks are only stained with chestnut-brown.” 
Mr. F. E. Howe has -written me : “ Appears to be more common through 
the district from October to March ; probably it migrates then further north 
and I don’t remember seeing it after that month, although it is common about 
the Gardens of Melbourne in autumn and winter. It is very plentiful in Fern- 
tree Gully, and here in the titree or mimosa they love to suspend their pretty 
moss-bedecked nest. In it three pretty light blue eggs are usually laid, but 
on one occasion four were seen, and often only two. It is a most useful little 
creature and destroys great numbers of the larvae of the Cup Moth. Breeding 
season extends from October to January. 
Mr. Sandland wrote me : “ This species is common at Burra but rare at 
Balah, South Australia.” 
Mr. H. Stuart Dove has sent me a fine long and valuable series of observa¬ 
tions, some of which are quoted here : “A beautiful nest was found on October 
23rd, just completed, but empty; on the 25th contained two pale blue eggs, 
that is, one laid on 24th, and second on 25th, and on 26th the third egg was laid 
and the female was sitting, thus clearly showing that the eggs were laid on 
successive days ; I have seen it stated in a well-known bird-book that the eggs 
were laid on alternate days. On 6th November there were three blind, 
naked, flesh-coloured young just hatched. The female flew off the nest uttering 
alarm-notes, the male replying with a pretty bell-like note which I never heard 
used before, uttered several times from a bush near by; the female dashed 
through the Tea-tree close to me as if to intimidate me when I examined 
young. On 11th November the young had eyes closed, a few tufts of whitish 
down on head, bluish looking quills sprouting on wings and spinal tract; the 
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