107 
VoI 'i 92 * IV '_] FLETCHER, Birds of the Steppes 
Birds of the Steppes 
By MISS J. A. FLETCHER, R.A.O.U., Lyeltya, Eaglehawk 
Neck, Tasmania. 
The following notes were made during a two months’ stay at 
The Steppes Post Office, with my friends Mrs. Wilson and 
family. I arrived there on October 6th, in a heavy snowstorm, 
in the dusk, our motor having had a breakdown of 2\ hours 
on one of the bleakest parts of the road. As we neared the 
Steppes, all the undergrowth, the fences and the young saplings 
were clothed in white, the Wattles bending nearly to the ground. 
One of the prettiest sights was to see the Flame-breasts flitting 
about or perching on the white-robed fences. 1 was able to 
scour only a very limited area immediately surrounding the 
homestead, as I had no means of getting about except by walking. 
As 1 had been sent up to this mountain climate (3000 ft.) on 
account of a breakdown in my health, I was unable to do much 
walking or exploring over the rocky forest-clad country. The 
weather on the whole was bad, wintry conditions prevailing 
nearly all the time. We had several heavy falls of snow, even 
in November, also gales and heavy rain. 
Synoicus australis. Brown Quail.—I did not see these birds, but 
heard them calling one evening near the lagoon. 
Phaps chalcoptera. Common Bronzewing.—I found several of the 
nests of these Pigeons, and occasionally met the birds in the forest. 
They eat the pink berries of a small prickly plant, Cyathodes acerosa 
which is such a feature of the underscrub in this region. One nest 
was built in the midst of a tangle of Banksia twigs, another in the 
thicket of a tea tree scrub bordering a creek. I also saw some old 
nests. 
Tribonyx mortieri. Tasmanian Waterhen.—The burning of the 
reeds of the Lagoon mentioned previously frightened these birds 
away, and at the time of my visit there were only a few pairs living 
in the reeds. The noise they made at night was enough to try the 
nerves of any stranger unacquainted with this bird’s vocal powers. 
Sometimes they chose the afternoon for a concert, and it was most 
amusing to watch the swift running to and fro of the “singers,” each 
bird apparently running about, acting according to its own taste, and 
yet in the corrobboree or dance there appeared to be a decided plan 
of performance. These Native-Hens build several spare structures, 
which I believe are really decoy nests. They are often placed out in 
the open as if inviting inspection from the circling Hawks or watching 
Crows (Ravens). The builders spend much time also sitting on them, 
but whether to delude their enemies or to rest themselves I cannot 
say. I have seen as many as seven of these dummy nests within a 
short distance of the true nest. I have also watched the birds build¬ 
ing. They collect the material, pull out the soft strands from a 
tussock, and carry it in the beak to the chosen spot. If detected, they 
drop their bundle, coming back for the same should they believe the 
watcher to have gone. I have seen both birds working at the nest. 
Another favourite home of these Native-Hens is along the bank of 
the Shannon, where it passes through St. Patrick’s Plains, three miles 
from the Post Office. I found one nest being made, but none with 
eggs or young. A pair at The Lagoon had a family running about. 
They cross the river, or, in fact, any depth of water, in a peculiar 
style, which resembles walking in water rather than swimming; much 
