The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-04-29
PARADOXES IN NATURE.
William Sharp Corrects Some Mis-
apprehensions About Austria
liam Flora and Fauna.
Trees Without Shade and Flowers
Without Perfume are Pure
ly Mythical
Nevertheless There are Many Contralic-
lions In Nature In tho Antipodal
Continent--1uiet at Midday.

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writer's unintentionally perpetuate the gen.
eral European Misrepresentation as to their
country Tin its fauna and fora) as being a
land of universal contradictions. True,
there are many such, but when We find even
an accomplished writer like Mr.. Marcus
Clarke speaking of ''our trees without
shade, our flowers without Perfume" we
wonder if he and others who express them
selves similarly have really observed more
than the mere general aspect of new and
strange land. For, as q matter of fact,
there are no forests in the world where so
multiform and continuous fragrance is per-
ceptible as in the 'tbush'' and "fern'' of
Australia; the flowers and Towering shrubs
are often az exquisitely scented as they are
brilliantly colored, and the 'acaoia, the
palm, the fern-tree, and many others, af-
ford grateful and delightful shade from the
scorching rays of the summer sun. More
over, the birds are far from being univer
sally songless. The magpie, or singing
crow. has as full and sweet note as our
blackbird, as we'll as q much more varied
song; the lyre-bird has as wonderful repli-
eating powers as the hooking bird of
America, and much sweeter and finer
music of it's own; and the gorgeously col
ored robins have notes as thrillingly sweet
as any consort of Jenny Wren in England.
But while it is true that there are fewer
song birds in Australia than in any other
country, it must also be borne in mind that
some of these, like the lyre-bird and the
bell-bird, are shy of man and his haunts,
and are thus only occasionally heard,
though in real forest solitudes their voices,
especially in the morning, are frequent
The writer remembers his establishment
when he first heard magpie singing, from
a fragrant waffle tree in full golden bloom
"a burst of native melody so unlike any
thing he had been led to expect from this
''songless' land.
But of course, speaking generally, the
contradictions of Australia are very marked
and peculiar. In the first place, the sun,
which to us has southerly position in the
heavens. and when in the meridian reflects
our shadows to the north, is northerly to
the colonists, and in consequence at noon
reflects their shadows to the south. With
them the winds are the reverse of what we
experience; the south wind is that which
brings cold; the north, that which brings
heat; the west-at least in Queensland, New
lis not regarded as healthy in the summer
and autumn, while in the same colonies the
east wind is pleasant and celebrating.
Then of course, as is we'll known, the sea-
sons are the opposite of what they are with
ns-in July the s winter cold % ~, reaches enc
q
Gus spring month; Easter occurs
in the middle of autumn; and
Christmas Day or New Years Day may be
reckoned as midsummer, From the gum
trees the bark peels, and on their branches
the leaves are horizontal instead of vertical;
there is a native cherry where the stone is
found outside the fruit; the bees are said
to be without sting; the swans are black;
there are birds that initiate the sounds of
suffocation and delnoniac laughter, the
swish of stock whip, distant church bells;
boot of the owl is heard by day; there are
huge lizards several feet in length, and
great hairy spiders; an animal that is part
fowl and part beaver; bird that is appar-
emily clothed with long hair and is wing
gian; there are animals that stand or leap
on two legs, and can put their young with
in them again at will; there are dogs that
never bark, and squirrels that apparently
fly.
Once my friend suddenly drew rein, and
onds heard nothing; then sharp and clear
through the silence rang the crack of long
whip, and I expected to see some stock
rider, or perhaps some strayed packman is
sue from the scrub. But with quick
'Hushp' my companion whispered to me
bird" and that what he wanted me to see was
lyre-bird. whose native note he had heard a
moment before close at hand. Very shortly
a somewhat low but sweet burst of melody,
though within a limited compass, came
from glade to the left. the greater part of
which was shrouded from sight by intricate
fern-tree ,growths; with rapid transitions
the song thereafter rose and fell. now imi-
tating the joyous freedom of the magpie,
now the laughing gurgle of the jackass, now
other forest denizens. Again silence, and
then-right in the midst of the
term had o fsw heard tor Of the sea h rst
I was anxious to see. The lyre-bird, or
mountain-pheasant (menura superba), is
extremely shy, and though by no means
rare in certain districts, is thus compare
lively seldom seen. In size it very closely
resembles the common pheasant. and is Of
a specially attractive bird were it not for
the large and delicately graceful tail feath-
ers, which, when fully erected, exactly
resemble the instrument after which the
bird is called. Like the shark, and per-
haps the cuckoo, the mountain-pheasant is
instance the latter being a small, jerky it,
tie bird: popularity called the ''pheasant's
mother"-but none such was visible to our
eyes on this occasion. The whip-bird, or
coach-whip bird, referred to is generally
hearn in the scrub proper, and has received
its name from its habit of ending its loud
cry or note with an abrupt crack, like that
produced by the long lash of a stock whip. |
As we rode on the sun grew higher and |
higher in the heavens, and a gradual silence |
crept through the forest with the ripening |
noon. The scrub, which had lately been SO |
full of life, appeared to be deserted by its
noisy denizens, and only at rare intervals |
the untitled chuckle of the jackass broke |
the stiffness. Erelong we came suddenly
and unexpectedly upon a rare sight in an
Australian forest, and few yards farther
brought us within charmed circle, than
which have seen nothing of the kind more
lovely. Immediately before us lay quiet
pool, of an intense hue at Its center, but
with wide margins rejecting the green fern
tree fronds and all else howery and beauti-
full that grew near; fringing its edges were
great quantities of beautiful species Of
iris: beyond and forming circular wall,
varying from five to eight or nine feet IN
height, were thick magnolias in magnificent
full bloom, and whose delicious fragrance
made the air seem heavy with sweetness;
over these waved the long, delicate
green fronds of the tree ferns and
shlmmering acacia sprays; while, beyond. a
glimpse was caught ofIthe SUBMITS of the
lofty blue gums darby silhouetted against
the purple-blue sky. Not breath of wind
stirred leaf or flower; not sound was heard
save faint, almost inaudible hum at IL
regular intervals, or an occasional subdued
rustle-as of leaf falling to the ground, or |
bird drowsily shifting its position in the |
dense green shade. Hark! what was that?
Like a far-away village bell a soft sound |
rings, or rather swells mellifluously, through |
the still air, and now another and another |
"a Rilyerv tollinu arouio;tol,, ~, ,,roec;xo