THE STITCHBIRD 47 
spot which we then suspected, and which we 
aiterwards discovered to be a nesting site, were 
a source of sore discouragement until we became 
used to them. In October and early November, 
whilst still engaged in the search for nests, it 
was disheartening work, after believing we. had 
tracked a male to his lair, to find two males en- 
gaged in parley—tong, low, chattering, very friendly 
palavers. It seemed then so improbable that one 
male would tolerate the presence of another close 
to his breeding quarters. Seemingly, however, 
they are mere friendly calls such as the Yellow- 
fronted Parakeet has to endure during nesting- 
time from members of its own race and from its 
Red-fronted relative. I have reason to believe, 
however, that although thus friendly, care is 
taken not to intrude on one another’s domains. 
In its relation to other breeds, the character- 
istic of the race is a certain self-centred content- 
ment; for instance, I cannot recollect an in- 
stance of either male or female chasing Pied Tit 
or Whitehead or Grey Warbler or Fantail, all 
lesser birds than they themselves. That these 
small fry are already sufficiently punished in not 
having been born in the purple, in not having 
chipped the shell as Stitchbirds, seems to be the 
line of thought. Though units of birds differ as 
do individuals of the human family, a fairly 
accurate estimate of the qualities of a race can 
