284 
EDWARDS, Birds of a NSAW Carden [ T ^®f lu 
mulberry tree. Scarlet and Flame Robins are occasional visitors, 
appearing as a rule in winter, when the deciduous trees are bare 
of leaf, and there is little colour to vie with that of their gay 
vests. Other occasional winter visitors are Satin Bower-Birds 
in small companies — yellowish green females and young males. 
The black “Satin Bird”— i.c., a male of mature age, and in full 
glory of glossy purple-black raiment — has not so far conde¬ 
scended to pay me a visit, but a pair of Cat-birds (also of the 
Bower-bird family) called once, and fed upon privet berries. 
Bell-Magpies descend at times from the ranges, but as a rule 
only in severe winters and seasons of drought. Their quest is 
mainly privet and laurel berries, although insects also are in¬ 
cluded in their diet. T have counted over twenty in a flock, 
busily searching for insects in long grass covering a vacant 
allotment on the outskirts of a populous town. The Delicate 
Owl, or Australian Barn Owl, sometimes sleeps by day in the 
densest pines, but the Boobook Owl is far more common, and 
its sepulchral call of “morepork, morepork,” is one of the 
familiar night sounds. Some people still hold to the theory that 
it is the Frogmouth, not this Owl, which is responsible for the 
familiar cry, but there is no longer any doubt about the matter 
Fy way of proof, 1 flashed an electric torch full on some 
night-bird perched on a post, and emitting the call “more¬ 
pork, morepork,” with constant reiteration. It was a Boobook 
Owl. This Owl is credited with a liking for small defenceless 
birds, but although it may seize these occasionally, it is never¬ 
theless an active destroyer of nocturnal insects, and a good 
mouser.” I have occasionally heard the weird call of a Night¬ 
jar near the house, but have never seen the bird, though the 
White-throated variety is found in the open forests, and often 
breeds on the saddles of desolate ranges — the single egg, laid on 
the bare ground, sometimes becoming the perquisite of Ravens. 
Butcher-birds are fairly common, and the clear bell-like call— 
ln which there is a somewhat sinister note, as though the bird 
were meditating a descent upon some smaller member of its 
^ ce -often rings out from the shrubbery. The ubiquitous 
ytagpie (Crow-Shrike) is quite at home, and frequently nests 
ln the pines; but the Grey Bell-Magpie is a much rarer visitor, 
*tnd the Cobbler’s-awl Bird (Slender-billed Honeyeater or Spine- 
bluish grey with deep chestnut breast, I have seen once 
^ n ly, clinging as it sucked the nectar to the scarlet flowers of a 
Japonica which breaks into blossom before the leaves come. 
Fmchcs are represented by the gay “Diamond Sparrow” 
G^potted-sided Finch), with broad patch of flaming scarlet at 
tail, and the more soberly attired Red-head (Red-browed 
in general colouring. Both hunt assiduously 
p. —- seeds. To these may be added the introduced Gold- 
lnc h, inordinately fond of the rich brown sunflower seeds, and 
matching this flower and its leaves in colouring that, when 
c ln gmg to the plant in feeding, it is not easily distinguished. 
the 
P n ch ), olive-green 
for weed 
