324 Walter Goodfellow—A Collector on Melville Island


searching the bushes for insects, especially the pandanus which seemed

to attract them the most. They also flew straight at the trunks of

trees, alighting on them after the manner of a woodpecker, or hanging

by their strong claws from branches to examine the bark underneath.

A very conspicuous yellow patch shows up in the wings when they fly.

I think this is one of Australia’s most lovely birds, and worthy of a

better setting than this unattractive island where it is only seen by the

blacks, who, if they caught it would only throw it on the fire, feathers

and all. It of course is found on the mainland too, and I believe I saw

a pair in the Melbourne Zoo two years ago, in a wilderness aviary where

it was not easy to get a view of them. I should certainly love to see

some over here, and to be able to enjoy them often.


I wish I knew the name of a bird which flew with a very fluttering

flight high over my camp every day; always singly, and calling

Tea-cher, Tea-cher, in a high-pitched voice. Even with strong glasses

I never could identify it against the light.


Many birds came around the camp with beautiful voices, but an

unsustained song. Some notes led one to expect great things, but ended

in nothing more. One, however, was one of the most lovely songsters

I have ever heard in any land. Here again I was unable to identify

it although it came a number of times. I think always the same bird,

as it sang from the same bush each time. I think I only caught a

glimpse of it twice. It came during the hottest hours of the day, and

remained in the seclusion of some bushes rather low down. Directly

I moved out to look it was silent and I imagine dropped to the ground

and made off among the long grass and undergrowth. If I saw the right

bird it appeared to be as large as a thrush, but perhaps thicker built

and of a more or less uniform grey or brown, but of this I am

not sure as it hid itself so carefully. It seemed to me as if such a

song was out of place in those hard and unprepossessing surroundings,

and more suitable to shady green lanes and woods. It showed at least

that Australia has some song birds as good as any elsewhere if I had

needed a proof.



{To be continued)



