THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST, 163 
along the edges of the rocks for his breakfast, whilst over- 
head the rustling of the noisy inquisitive Honey Eater, 
the Spine Bill (Acanthorhyuchus tenuirostris), makes you 
imagine that all the birds in Christendom have been let 
loose, as he darts with erratic motions after the gnats in 
the tree-tops, for there is no honey yet, and he must eat 
to live till the spring brings him his flowers with the nee- 
tar; a Coachwhip bird (Psophodes crepitans) in the gully 
cracking his whip, and a Lyre bird (Menura superba) 
close at hand, whistling and playing pranks with all the 
pird calls; the white-browed Scrub Wren (Sericonis fron- 
talis), like a swarm of bees about you, curious, yet withal 
watchful of your every movement; and the white-checked 
Iloney Eater (Meliornis nigra) (sericea), with his silky 
yellow and black coat, lending a touch of colour to the 
surroundings. It is a good cure for the nerves if you 
have them. ‘The white-eared Honey eater (Ptilotis leu- 
cotis) is also watchine you, and a white-throated tree- 
creeper (Climacteris scandens) is pretending he does not 
see you as he climbs round and round, calling to his mate 
that apparently you are harmless—until you sneeze, as 
you inevitably will, and then, like the barrel organ man, 
you have to move on and seek fresh fields and pastures new. 
Jt is a good thing too, for you get into another bird 
world and become again a living statue. The noisy chat- 
tering black Magpie (Corcorar melanorhamphus) ap- 
pears, squabbling because there is so little for breakfast ; 
then our old friend, the black-backed Magpie (@ymnorhina 
tibicen) discusses you with his mates, and ends up his 
summary in his well-known flute-like song. Unfortunately 
both these birds are often the victims of man’s desire to 
try how his gun shoots, and are not as tame as they other- 
wise might be. 
By a liberal use of chopped-up meat, the Magpies 
will frequent your quarters, and it is interesting to watch 
them through the open door, and observe how human they 
are in their treatment of one another, for it is eat all 
you can and fly away with what the other fellow desires. 
Two Crow Shrikes (Strepera fuliginosa) are so like the 
Magpie that you thing you have discovered a new variety: 
lemon-coloured eyes, black-pointed beaks, and white in the 
wing and tail feathers, being your guide to identify them. 
In observing the birds, you soon become aware of two 
