INTRODUCTION 
XVII 
INTRODUCTION 
Birds express all that is beautiful, joyous, and free in nature. They delight 
our eyes, charm our ears, quicken our imagination, and through association 
with the bushland inspire us with a profound love of country. 
What visions of freedom and joy come to us when we see a flock of 
Scarlet Honey-eaters feeding among the blossoms of a tea-tree; a Spinebill 
sipping nectar from a native fuchsia; a Blue Wren moving among the golden 
beauty of a wattle-tree; or Silver Gulls flying lazily above the limpid blue 
waters of our harbours? What pleasure is ours when we hear the joyous 
carefree caroling of Magpies at dawn; the springtime song of the Grey 
Thrush; the wonderful song mimicry of the Lyretail, or a Song-lark soaring 
heavenwards filling the air with its melody. 
Nature study has developed enormously during the past few years, 
more particularly that branch devoted to birds. 
The idea is gradually being discarded, that, to study birds one had to 
make a collection of skins or eggs. Nowadays the camera has displaced the 
gun, and the photographic album, the skin and egg cabinet. The collection 
and preservation of specimens is essential to a complete knowledge of birds, 
as one must handle a definite object before its structure and colour can 
be studied correctly. This material is always available to students in museums 
—being placed there for that purpose. Students are therefore advised to 
visit these institutions, where every facility is offered for the study of species 
observed in the field. 
There is an art in studying birds in the field. For instance, observations 
will be more successful in the early morning or towards evening, than if made 
during the midday period. In the morning birds are particularly active 
searching for food after the night's rest: towards evening they are again 
active seeking food and roosting-sites. 
Birds may be found in almost any type of country; rain forests and 
open forests, however, offer the greatest variety. There they may be 
observed on the ground, on the tree-trunks, or among the foliage", favoured 
haunts being the borders of more open areas of the scrub. In the denser 
parts they are difficult to observe, as they keep to the upper outer foliage 
of the tall trees. Heath-lands also offer a wealth of bird-life. Here an 
observer's task is considerably lightened by the open nature of the vegetation. 
Belts of timber on the margins of streams, and isolated clumps of trees dotted 
over plains or cleared areas will amply repay investigation. Birds of the 
swamps and reed-beds are habitually shy and test the observer's patience and 
ingenuity. 
The bird-student is advised to keep detailed lists of the birds of 
his locality or other areas he may be in the habit of visiting. These special 
districts will, of course, be divided into habitats. Thus he is enabled to 
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