beautiful tail, alas, often brings early death to its rightful owner.
There are three species of these birds, found only in the mountainous
parts of South-eastern Australia, and as far as Wide Bay, in Southern
Queensland. Two of the species are found in New South Wales and
Southern Queensland, while the third is found in Victoria. Though
these beautiful birds are supposed to be protected, hundreds of their
tails are sold annually in London.
The Lyre Bird is responsible for the statement that Australia
possesses "Wrens as large as peacocks," whereas most Wrens are very
small. However, the Lyre Bird is not now classed with Wrens. In all
its ways, the Lyre Bird is of interest. Its dancing mounds, its large
domed nest, containing but one egg, and its remarkable mimicking
powers have frequently been written about. Dr. Sharpe has lately
placed the Lyre Birds in an Order by themselves--Order XX.
Gould considered the Lyre Bird the most shy of birds, for he spent
days in the forest gullies surrounded by them, but though he was
entertained by their many and varied calls, he caught no sight of a
bird. The wonderful tail is not attained until the male bird is four
years old. It is unique, and is the most beautiful tail ornament worn
by any bird. Dr. Newton hoped that "so remarkable a form as the Lyre
Bird, the nearly sole survivor, apparently, of a very ancient race
of beings, will not be allowed to become extinct--its almost certain
fate, so far as can be judged--without many more observations of its
manners being made, and fuller details of them placed on record."
Australians please note. You alone can assist by collecting facts and
recording reliable observations. Bird-lovers hope that the Lyre
Bird will be successfully established in the National Park, Wilson's
Promontory, where some have already been placed, and so be preserved
for future generations. Its large, domed nest is usually placed on the
ground, and the large single egg (or the young one) is often taken by
the fox. Further, its natural haunts--dense forest scrubs--are
being rapidly cleared, so that the bird is doomed, except in special
sanctuaries.
The Lyre Bird is now generally acknowledged to be the prince of
mocking birds. It mimics clearly all bush noises, the chopping of
trees, sawing of logs, barking of dogs, clucking of hens, the singing
of native birds. Its dancing mounds are interesting. Near one of
these mounds, on the Upper Snowy River, in the wild cherry scrub, we
observed a nest at a height of about thirty feet from the ground.
Australians! you owe it to mankind in general to see that the
protection supposed to be given to the Lyre Bird is a reality.
Recently, after passing a lady much bedecked with Bird of Paradise
plumes, I thought it was fortunate the Lyre Bird's tail was too large
for a lady's hat. Imagine my surprise when, at the next street corner
(Collins and Spring Streets), I met a lady with a Lyre Bird's tail
stuck through her head-dress. However, I have seen no other tail used
for such a purpose.
In America the Audubon Society has done splendid work by disseminating
knowledge about American birds, and arousing public interest in the
value of birds. There, also, thorough scientific investigation has
been made of the value of insect-eating and seed-eating birds. It has
been stated, as the result of full research, that one wild pigeon,
in whose crop over 7000 weed seeds were found, was as efficacious in
destroying weeds as two farm laborers.
It is to be noted that no less an agricultural authority than
Professor Gilruth, of the Veterinary School, Melbourne University, has
given it as his deliberate opinion that the Australian farmer would
find life impossible without the aid of the detested Sparrow as a weed
destroyer. This is the judgment of a man whose opinion is worthy of
serious consideration.
It is open to serious doubt if it pays commercially to kill
indiscriminately any kind of bird found on this continent. It may,
of course, happen that one individual bird has learnt where to get an
easy food supply at the expense of a farmer or orchardist. Such a bird
could be kept away. To kill birds at all times, because of the damage
done by a few at a particular time, is foolish.
On the lines of the American Audubon Society, the Gould League of Bird
Lovers has recently been established. Just as Audubon was the great
father of American ornithology, so "John Gould, the bird man," was the
father of Australian ornithology. Hence his name has been associated
with this movement to save our birds. The movement is progressing by
leaps and bounds.
The Victorian branch has a very large body of members, about 40,000
certificates having already been issued to adults and children.
Tasmania has a branch in full operation. In South Australia bird clubs
are doing excellent work, especially amongst the young people, and
Queensland and New South Wales bird-lovers have taken active steps
to develop the movement in their States. A Bird Day, by order of the
Minister of Education, Hon. A. A. Billson, and the Director, Mr.
F. Tate, was observed in Victorian schools in 1909 and 1910, with
gratifying results. Bird-nesting, for the collection of eggs, has
practically wholly disappeared from our schools, while at most country
schools native birds can be seen nesting on the school grounds, the
children keeping observation notes of nesting and feeding habits of
the birds as part of their work in Nature-study. What study is of
greater economic importance to this wealthy, though occasionally
insect-troubled, land?
====
[Page 112]
[Illustration: [237]]
ORDER XX.--MENURIFORMES, LYRE-BIRDS.
F. 104. MENURIDAE (3), LYRE-BIRDS, 3 sp. A. (South-Eastern
A.).
3
3
=237 Victoria Lyre-Bird=, Pheasant (e), _Menura victoriae_, V.
Stat. r. _dense scrubs_, m., 36; f., 27
Beautiful lyre tail; f., sooty-brown; all tail feathers fully
webbed. Insects, centipedes, snails.
====
Order XXI.--Perching-Birds--contains 11,500 species, more than
three-fifths of the world's 19,000 birds. As Perching-Birds
(_Passeres_) are still undergoing evolution, connecting links still
live, so that it is very difficult to divide the Perching Birds
into well-defined families. Sharpe has divided them into sixty-one
families, but, for several of these, no exact characters that exclude
other birds can be assigned, so that some of these, at least, are "not
worthy of family rank." However, Sharpe's classification represents
the latest thought of scientists on this difficult matter, so it must
be adopted here.
This large order of birds is divided into two sub-orders:--
1. Songless Perching-Birds, made up mainly of South American
birds, though two families are included that are represented in the
Australian region--_viz._, Pittas (_Pittidae_) and New Zealand Wrens
(_Xenicidae_).
2. Song-Birds.
Birds of the second division are again divided into two:--A.: Abnormal
Song-Birds. B.: Normal Song-Birds.
The first group, Abnormal Song-Birds, comprises only the two
remarkable Scrub-Birds (_Atrichornithidae_) of Australia. One of these
inhabits West Australian scrubs only, while the other inhabits East
Australian (Richmond River) scrubs only.
The breast bone and the muscles of the voice apparatus are unusual.
These birds are about the size of a thrush, and form "one of the most
curious ornithological types of the many furnished by that country"
(Australia).
So far, no female bird has been examined, and little is known about
these remarkable, noisy, scrub-haunting birds.
The remaining forty-eight "families" of birds belong to the Normal
Song-Birds. It is interesting to note that Australia contains
representatives of twenty-nine families of Song-Birds. Representatives
of but nineteen families have been recorded from Britain. The Indian
Empire, including Burmah and Ceylon, contains representatives of
twenty-two families, North America, also, of twenty-two families,
while in South America twenty-three families are represented in this
highest division of birds.
Again, while only 89 Song-Birds have been recorded as permanent
residents of, or regular visitors to, Britain, almost 500 species of
Song-Birds have, so far, been recorded from Australia and Tasmania.
Of these, 157 have been recorded from Victoria, and are illustrated in
this volume. And yet, we are told, this is a land of songless birds.
Swallows have always attracted much notice, perhaps, because of their
airy play when enjoying themselves after their long migration flight.
It is very difficult to realize that Cuvier and most scientists of
one hundred years ago believed that Swallows hibernated by burying
themselves in the mud in the bottom of lakes and pools. It is
interesting to note, in Gilbert White's _Natural History of Selborne_,
the growing doubt concerning this belief; but, as it was supported by
apparently good authority, he is cautious. Fuller observation shows
that there are well-marked lines of migration, so that the European
Swallow migrates sometimes even as far as South Africa, and the
Swallows of North Asia are said to migrate even to Australia. However,
in our winterless clime, migration is not complete, and this year
(1910) there was probably little migration of Swallows. As Swallows
are such rapid fliers, and spend much of their time on the wing, it is
not a matter of surprise to find that they have spread the world over,
except to New Zealand, though Tree Swallows are said to reach even
that distant land occasionally.
The Australian members of the Swallow family present very different
nesting habits. While the Welcome Swallow builds the well-known
cup-like mud nest, the rare White-backed Swallow drills a two-inch
hole into a bank for two or three feet, and there builds its nest. The
Tree Martin (Swallow), on the other hand, makes no nest, but lays its
eggs on leaves placed on the rotten wood in the hollow of a tree. The
Fairy Martin builds a long, bottle-shaped mud flask, under a bridge,
or a ledge, and so is sometimes called the Bottle or Retort Swallow.
Wood-Swallows and Swifts do not belong to the Swallow family.
The Flycatcher family is a large one, nearly 700 species being
accepted by Dr. Sharpe. More than half of these are restricted to the
Australian region.
The Brown Flycatcher is almost as common as the Willie Wagtail (Black
and White Fantail). The white feather on each side of the tail is a
valuable guide, though the Groundlark also has this. So often does it
sit on fence posts looking at the passer-by that it has been called
the "Post-Sitter." Its Sydney name, Jacky Winter, is less formal than
Brown Flycatcher--a name which is already in use for another bird.
The Robin Redbreast of Britain is regarded with affection by all
English children. That feeling has been transferred to the externally
slightly similar "Robin Redbreasts" of this country, though they are
not at all related to the British Robins. Redbreast is really the name
of the English bird, and Robin is perhaps a term of endearment added
to the name Redbreast. While the British bird has a rufous breast, the
Australian birds have a scarlet breast, and are much handsomer birds.
The British Robin is now placed in the Thrush family.
Once given to members of this family, the name Robin has been adopted
for related birds that have no red--_e.g._, the black and white Hooded
Robin, and the Tasmanian Dusky Robin. The Shrike Robins belong to the
Shrike family, so they need not be mentioned here. The Scrub Robin of
the inland dry scrubs belongs to the same family as the Coachwhip Bird
and the Babbler.
The Fantails and some, at least, of the Flycatchers proper are known
to all. Who does not know and admire the plucky, though fussy Black
and White Fantail (Willie Wagtail), as it drives a cat or a dog away
from the vicinity of its nest, or as it waits impatiently about the
mouth of a grazing cow or horse, or as it expresses its opinion of
itself in the melodious "sweet, pretty creature," heard even late on
moonlight nights? The friendly White-shafted Fantail is almost as
well known, as it flits about a camp or catches flies near some
water-course.
At the Summer School, a Fantail spent some time each day in the
dining-tent. The beautiful Rufous Fantail is just as tame, but is not
quite so common. The nests of the White-shafted and Rufous Fantails
are things of beauty. The long wine-glass stem is said by some to
serve to drain the water away down from the nest, or as a means of
carrying the eye down from the nest itself, so that it is seldom
seen, or as a balance, so that the nest is not tilted too far in windy
weather.
The Scissors Grinder, or Restless Flycatcher, is very much like a
Black and White Fantail, but the throat is white, while that of the
Fantail is black. The Grinder is often mentioned in popular books on
bird-life, on account of its peculiar scissors-grinding note uttered
while hovering in search of insects.
(continued below)
====
[Page 113]
ORDER XXI.--PASSERIFORMES, PERCHING BIRDS.
F. 105. _Pteroptochidae_, Tapaculos, Tilt-birds, 31 sp. Nl.
F. 106. _Conophagidae_, Antwrens, 16 sp. Nl.
F. 107. _Formicariidae_, Ant-thrushes, 348 sp. Nl.
F. 108. _Dendrocolaptidae_, Wood-hewers, Spinetails, 405 sp.
Nl.
F. 109. _Tyrannidae_, Tyrant-birds, American Flycatchers,
Kingbird, Phoebe, 560 sp.--41(9)Nc., 551(519)Nl.
F. 110. _Oxyrhamphidae_, 3 sp. Nl.
F. 111. _Pipridae_, Mannikins, 84 sp. Nl.
F. 112. _Cotingidae_, Cotingas, Chatterers, 145 sp.--1(0)Nc.,
145(144)Nl.
F. 113. _Phytotomidae_, Plant-cutters, 4 sp. Nl.
F. 114. PITTIDAE (4), ANT-THRUSHES, 63 sp.--32(32)A.,
30(30)O., 1(1)E.
F. 115. _Philepittidae_, Wattled Ant-thrushes, 2 sp. E.
(Madagascar).
F. 116. _Xenicidae_, New Zealand Wrens, 4 sp. A. (N.Z.).
F. 117. ATRICHORNITHIDAE (2), SCRUB-BIRDS, 2 sp. A.(N.S.W., W.A.).
[Page 116]
[Illustration: [251] [254] [255] [256] [259] [262] [265] [265^A] [266]]
=251= White-throated Flyeater
=254= White-shafted Fantail
=255= Rufous Fantail
=256= Black and White Fantail
=259= Restless Flycatcher
=262= Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike
=265= White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater
=265^A= White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater (F.)
=266= Spotted Ground-Bird
[Page 118]
[Illustration: [272] [273] [276] [278] [279] [280] [281] [281^A] [282]]
=272= Coachwhip Bird
=273= Gray-crowned Babbler
=276= White browed Field-Wren
=278= Brown Song Lark
=279= Rufous Song Lark
=280= Mountain Thrush
=281= White-fronted Chat
=281^A= White-fronted Chat (Female)
=282= Crimson-breasted Chat
[Page 120]
[Illustration: [238] [239] [240] [241] [242] [243]]
F. 118. HIRUNDINIDAE (6), SWALLOWS, MARTINS, 116 sp.--9(6)A.,
25(7)O., 16(2)P., 54(50)E., 10(1)Nc., 34(27)Nl.
3
40
=238* Welcome Swallow= (House), _Chelidon (Hirundo) neoxena_,
A., T. =vt. Eur. House Swallow.
Mig. c. _houses_ 6.6
Breast, throat, forehead rust-red; abdomen whitish; head,
back, rump black; tail forked, a band of whitish spots; f.,
duller. Flying insects.
[Page 121]
1
1
=239 White-backed Swallow= (Black and White, White-breasted,
White-capped), _Cheramoeca leucosternum_, A., exc. N. Ter.
=vt. Eur. Sand-Martin.
Stat. r. _inland_ 5.8
Back, throat, chest white; wings, tail, rump, abdomen black;
no rust-red; f., sim. Insects.
2
10
=240* Tree Martin=, Tree Swallow, _Petrochelidon nigricans_,
Mol., N.G., A., T., Bass St. Is., N.Z. =vt. Eur. Tree Swallow.
Mig. flocks, v.c. _timber_ 5.1
Head, back black; under, rump whitish-gray; indistinct whitish
collar; rust-red forehead; f., sim. Flying insects.
=241 Fairy Martin=, Bottle (Land, Cliff, Retort) Swallow, _P.
ariel_, E.A., S.A., T. (occ).
Mig. c. _cliffs_, _banks_ 4.7
Head rust-red; black back; rump, under white; tail slightly
forked; f., sim. Insects.
F. 119. MUSCICAPIDAE (71), FLYCATCHERS, 690 sp.--354(346)A.,
164(148)O., 14(1)P., 155(151)E., 5(2)Nc., 20(17)Nl.
4
11
=242* Australian Brown Flycatcher=, Jacky Winter, Postboy,
Post-sitter, White-tail, Stump-Bird, Spinks, Peter-Peter,
_Microeca fascinans_, E.A., S.A.
Stat. c. _open_, _forest_ 5.2
Upper pale-brown; side tail white; under lighter; chin,
abdomen white; swings tail sideways; f., sim. Insects.
Songster.
=243 Allied Flycatcher= (Lesser Brown), _M. assimilis_, N.A.,
V. (acc), W.A. Insects.
Stat. c. _open_, _forest_ 4.6
Like 242, but smaller; outer tail feathers brown at base.
[Page 122]
[Illustration: [244] [245] [246] [247] [248] [249]]
11
17
=244* Scarlet-breasted Robin=, _Petroica leggei_, S.Q.,
N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A., T.
Mig. c. (winter) _open_, (summer) _forest gullies_ 5.2
Head, throat, upper black; cap white; white bands on wing;
breast scarlet; lower-abdomen dull-white; outer-tail white;
bill, feet black; f.,* upper, under brown; breast tinged red;
white marks on wing. Insects.
[Page 123]
=245* Flame-breasted Robin=, _P. phoenicea_, S.Q., N.S.W., V.,
S.A., T., Bass St. Is.
Mig. c. (winter) _open_, (summer) _mt.-gullies_ 5.3
Crown, upper sooty-gray; small white forehead; white on wing;
outer-tail white; chin sooty-gray; under scarlet; under
base tail white; f.,* under brown; outer-tail white; under
reddish-gray. Insects.
=246 Pink-breasted Robin=, _P. rhodinogaster_, V., S.A., T.,
Bass St. Is.
Stat. v.r. _deep forest_, _gullies_ 5.2
Head, neck, back sooty-black; white spot on forehead; breast,
abdomen rose-pink; under base tail white; f., upper brown;
buff marks on wing; under gray; under base tail white.
Insects. "Tick-tick-tick;" like snapping dead twig.
=247 Rose-breasted Robin=, _P. rosea_, E.A. Insects.
Stat. r. _dense brushes_, _gullies_ 4.5
Crown, throat, upper dark slate-gray; narrow white forehead;
chest rich rose-red; under base tail white; outer-tail white;
f., forehead buff; upper grayish-brown.
=248* Red-capped Robin=, Redhead (e), _P. goodenovii_, S.Q.,
N.S.W., V., S.A., C.A., W.A.
Nom. r. _open inland scrubs_ 4.7
Crown, breast scarlet; upper, neck black; white stripe on
wing; abdomen, under tail white; f.,* dark-brown upper;
forehead tinged reddish; throat, breast faintly tinged red.
Insects.
=249 Hooded Robin= (Black and White, Black, Pied), _P.
bicolor_, S.Q., N.S.W., V., S.A., W.A., N.W.A.
Stat. r. _open_, _forest_ 6.5
Head, upper, throat black; patch on wing, abdomen, under base
tail, outer-tail white; f., brownish-gray instead of black.
Insects.
[Page 124]
[Illustration: [250] [251] [252] [253] [254]]
2
2
=250 Short-billed Tree-Tit= (Sombre), Scrub-Tit, _Smicrornis
brevirostris_, E.A., S.A., W.A.
Stat. c. _treetops_ 3.5
Crown brownish-gray; back olive; behind eye reddish-brown;
throat, chest whitish; abdomen citron-yellow; tail brown at
base, banded blackish, spotted white at tip; short bill brown;
f., sim. Insects. Clear whistle.
16
62
=251* White-throated Flyeater=, Native Canary (e),
Bush-Warbler, _Gerygone albigularis_, N.A., E.A., N.W.A.
Insects. Musician.
Mig. c. _tree-tops_ 4.3
Upper ashy-brown; throat, face white; chest, abdomen
greenish-yellow; tail blackish band, white tip; f., sim.
=252 Southern Flyeater= (Western), White-tailed Bush-Warbler,
_G. (Pseudogerygone) culicivora_, E.A., S.A., C.A., W.A. f.
sim. Insects.
v.r. _forests_, _scrubs_ 4.2
Upper olive-brown; throat, chest light-gray; abdomen white;
tail white base; black band, tip spotted white.
=253 Brown Flyeater=, Brown Bush-Warbler, _G. fusca_, E.A.
Stat. c. _forest_, _scrubs_ 3.8
Back, sides reddish-brown; forehead, eyebrow, throat, chest
gray; tail black band, tip spotted white; f., sim. Insects.
Feeble "What is it? What is it?"
10
99
=254* White-shafted Fantail= (-Flycatcher, -Flysnapper),
Cranky Fan, Devil-Bird, Land-Wagtail (e), _Rhipidura
albiscapa_, E.A., S.A.
Stat. c. _open forest_ 6
Upper, band across chest sooty-black; under buff; stripe over
eye, mark behind eye, throat, bars on wing, shafts of tail
feathers (except 2 centre feathers) white; outer-tail, tip
white; f., sim. Insects. Musical song.
=255* Rufous Fantail= (-Flycatcher), _R. rufifrons_, E.A.
Part.-Mig. (winter) _open_, (summer) _gullies_,
_brushes_ 6.2
Crown, hind-neck brown; forehead, lower-back, base tail
rust-red; throat, centre-abdomen white; chest black; flanks,
under base tail light fawn; f., smaller. Insects.
[Page 125]
[Illustration: [255] [256] [257] [258] [259] [260]]
=256* Black and White Fantail= (-Flycatcher), Shepherd's
Companion, Willie Wagtail, Wagtail (e), Frog (Morning) Bird,
_R. motacilloides (tricolor)_, Mol., N.G., A. "Sweet pretty
little creature."
Stat. v.c. _open forest_ 7.5
Upper, throat, breast black; eyebrow, rest under white; long
fan-tail; f., sim. Insects. Often sings at night.
4
29
=257 Leaden Flycatcher= (-Flysnapper), Frog-Bird, _Myiagra
rubecula_, N.G., A., T.
Mig. r. _coast scrubs_, _gullies_ 6.5
Upper, wings, tail, breast leaden-gray glossed with green;
abdomen, under base tail white; f., throat, breast rust-red.
Insects. Squeaking note.
=258 Satin Flycatcher= (Shining), Satin Sparrow (e), _M.
nitida_, Louisiade Is., E.A., S.A., T.
Mig. r. _gullies_ 6.5
Upper, breast blackish metallic-green; abdomen, under base
tail white; f., upper duller; throat, breast rust-red.
Insects. Loud piping whistle.
2
2
=259* Restless Flycatcher=, Scissors Grinder, Grinder, Willie
Wagtail (e), Dishwasher (e), Who-are-you? _Seisura inquieta_,
A.
Stat. c. _open_, _scrub_ 8
Upper shining black; under white; like 256 but throat white;
hovers; f., throat, breast buff. Insects. Harsh grinding,
"Tu-whee, tu-whee."
2
8
=260 Black-faced Flycatcher= (Carinated), _Monarcha
melanopsis_, Timor, N.G., N. Ter., E.A.
Stat. r. _brushes_ 6.7
Forehead, face, throat black; upper gray; wings, tail brown;
chest gray; abdomen rufous; f., sim. Insects. Loud whistle,
"Why-yew, witch-yew."
====
Order XXI. (continued)
More than half the species of birds making up the family of
Caterpillar-eaters are restricted to the Australian region.
The common Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike has many names. Leatherhead, Blue
Pigeon, and Blue Jay are amongst the most common, and all are
wrong. The Leatherhead is a Honey-eater, and is better known as the
Friar-Bird. The Cuckoo-Shrike is not a Pigeon, but is a perching bird;
nor is it a Jay, which is a Northern Hemisphere bird, a member of the
Crow family.
The Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike is partly migratory, being stationary
in the northern parts of its range, but migratory in the south. It
occasionally reaches New Zealand. These birds undergo many changes of
plumage before assuming the adult dress. The Little Cuckoo-Shrike,
in particular, has several plumage phases, the throat and neck being
black in the young, but gray in the adult. Its Cuckoo-like flight
undoubtedly suggested part of the name. When young males are unlike
the adult males, they usually resemble the female. Here, however, the
adults of both sexes are similar.
The male White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater resembles a Hooded Robin
(249). It is supposed to be shy, but at the Tallangatta excursion,
two pairs were attending to domestic duties in the school ground and
surprised all by their fine musical performances. The male called
"Peter, Peter," or some syllabize it "Pretty Joey," and then broke
into a trilling song that fully equalled any canary performance I have
heard. This was repeated frequently during the day. The female seemed
to have a creak in her note, which, however, was musical. The bill is
slender in this species.
The Jardine Caterpillar-eater is rare and very shy. It keeps to the
topmost branches of lofty trees. The male is dark blue-gray and black,
and has a strong bill. The brown female is quite dissimilar, her
whitish under surface being crossed with numerous brown arrow-head
markings.
The Cuckoo-Shrikes and Caterpillar-eaters are, like the Cuckoos, very
fond of caterpillars, and so should receive all the protection we can
give them.
(continued below)
====
[Page 126]
[Illustration: [261] [262] [263] [264] [265] [265^A]]
F. 120. CAMPOPHAGIDAE (10), CUCKOO-SHRIKES,
Caterpillar-eaters, 186 sp.--104(103)A., 63(61)O., 2(1)P.,
19(19)E.
1
1
=261 Ground Cuckoo-Shrike=, Ground Graucalus, Ground
(Long-tailed) Jay (e), _Pteropodocys phasianella_, Q., N.S.W.,
V., C.A., W.A. (interior).
Stat. v.r. _plains_ 13