114 
FLETCHER, Birds of the Steppes 
r The Emu 
L 1st Oct. 
One evening, as Miss Wilson and I were returning home from a 
ramble, we stopped to watch a shallow water hole, a favourite place 
for the evening bath of the small forest birds. A female Flame 
Robin was standing in the shallows, throwing the water over her, 
shaking her wings, trimming her feathers, then almost sitting down 
as she splashed around. But we were both much amused at the 
antics of a Dusky Fantail standing on the dry ground close to the 
edge, and intently observing what the Robin did. It commenced to 
imitate every movement of the Robin, just as if it were having a bath 
itself. When the Robin splashed, it also went through the exact 
movements, shook its feathers, preened itself, then, just as the Robin 
was doing, threw the imaginary drops over itself. Whether it imi¬ 
tated the Robin through mischief, or whether the latter’s actions 
suggested a bath to the Fantail, or whether the mimic considered 
the water too cold, we were unable to decide. 
Myiagra cyanoleuca. Satin Flycatcher. — The tall timber on these 
forest-clad Tiers is just the home the Flycatchers like, consequently 
they are fairly plentiful. I found many pairs, each owning, as it 
were, their own stated area of country. In this they built, but they 
did not always respect their neighbours’ selections when in search of 
food. Their neighbours, however, were not adverse to reminding the 
trespassers that their rights must be recognised. Yet until Novem¬ 
ber a person might spend every day in the forest, and not know that 
such a jovial little bird existed. But after this month, the tree tops 
are lively with the notes of the Flycatcher and its incessant move¬ 
ments. The last calls at night are one of the best guides to the 
probable situation of the nest, but on account of the latter’s resem¬ 
blance to a knob on the twig of the tree, it would most likely remain 
unnoticed in the dimness of the twilight. Both birds help with the 
building. One pair was building close to The Steppes house, so I was 
able to watch them a good deal. The chosen fork was near the top 
of a very tall, thin gum. Its height was a drawback, for one’s neck 
ached most dreadfully through holding the head at such an angle. I 
noticed the birds generally arrived together with their bundle of 
material, and while one fixed its load into shape, the other kept inces¬ 
santly moving about the twig, twitching its tail from side to side the 
whole time. Then the first worker chased a few insects amongst the 
tree tops, whilst the mate worked her or his material in, then the 
first builder came back to inspect. The male in particular was sing¬ 
ing most happily. Then away they flew in search of more cobwebs, 
etc. 
In spite of their apparent industry they were slow builders, and 
those I watched ceased work after eleven, but did a little in the late 
afternoon. When I first sa»w the owners at work they were only put¬ 
ting a supply of cobweb round the two sides of the fork, then the 
bottom of the nest was worked at; this I could see when standing 
beneath, but it was five days before the sides were easily distinguish¬ 
able. 
I found that another watcher was interested in the notes of the 
merry Flycatchers—the male of a pair of Black Magpies. I saw him 
often flying along the line of timber,, apparently searching for the 
tiny home. He seemed to understand the call the owners made when 
at the nest. However, the birds had ceased working at their nest for 
some days, when, not hearing them, I looked and found it pulled to 
pieces. One call of the Flycatcher appears to be used to keep in 
touch with the mate, the other two calls to express its exuberance of 
spirits. 
Grauculus novae-hollandiae. Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike.—Fairly 
represented in numbers. Migratory, leaving before the end of 
autumn. I noticed in a nest I had under observation that the male 
took his turn at sitting. About eleven o’clock I heard a Grauculus 
call, whereupon the sitting bird, which seemed to me to be the female, 
