The Portland daily press., 1897-12-25
BlRo LIFE IN AUSTRALIA.
Ehere Are sryriads of InsectivorOus Birds
From John Plummer's Australian Cor

tF'rom John Plummer's Australian Cor
respondence.)
The plentitude of insect life in Austria
lin, fostered by bright and sunny eli
mate, would speedily become intolerable
but for the provision made by Nature, in
the form of nlyriads of insectivorous
birds, whose presence is always welcome
to the farmer and the orchardist, afford
ing some degree Of certainty that the
rapidly ripening crops will not be seri-
ously injured by the incessant attacks of
these insidious and almost invisible foes.
In New South Wales many Of the more
useful kinds Of birds migrate during the
winter months TO tho mort hern, or SEM
tropical regions OF Australia, returning
q + the beginning of spring. Not a few
possess d beautiful plumage, and several,
contrary to popular belief, have con-
siderable amount of melodious power.
Among the best known birds are several
species Of night jars, swifts and swal-
lows. The nignt-jars are generally met
with after dusk, when they are extremely
active, capturing considerable numbers
OF insects while Oh the wing. The swifts
are most plentiful during hot weather.
Among the swallows the bottle swallow
is remarkable fo7 building in oommuni-
ties, constructing. retert-shaped nests Of
mud under the caves Of houses, the shell
ter of an overhnnging rock or river bank,
and occasionally in the hollow trunk Of
some large tree, Hundreds of such nests
may be seen underneath the Gaping of
the stone piers Of the large railway
bridge crossing the waters Of the Nepean,
at Penrith
The Australian bee-eater is beauti-
fully plumaged bird. but much disliked
by epiarists by reason of the havoc it
creates in the vicinity of their hives.
The sombre wood swallow is another bee
destroyer, and when killed is often found
gorged with its victims. When these
birds arrive in spring, also Immediately
before their departure at the close of sum
Ner, they have q peculiar habit when
roosting at night of clinging to each
o6her in large clusters. The diamond
birds are very useful, as arc the shrikes,
poularly known az Inagpies, which peri
ndically destroy enormous quantities of
larvae and insects, especially grasshop-
pers, caterifllrs and grubs. 4he mud
lark CT r0aWlt, lit lie maggie lark, with
its pleasing long. harmonious thrush,
and whipbird, each represent various
dpsorip ions of insect destroyers, as does
the bell bird, OF which there are two
species, that found near the coast having
L ceaseless and somewhat monotonous
note, like q sheep bird; the other, COM
laon in the inland portion of the colony,
possessing certain powers of ventrilo-
qulsm, and, when perched upon the u p
per branches of some lofty tree uttering
notes not unlike the solemn tolling of
bell, hence it's name. The male whip
bird, frequenting tho scrub and brush
near the coast. also the fern-clad Gullies
of the mountain ranges, has a loud note.
resem bling the cracking of a stockman's
whip; the misDamed brisIle- bird has
rich and varied song, with which not a
few residents in the Sydney suburbs are
familiar; while the roso-breasted robin,
Frequently met within the Illawarra dis
trict, is upe OF tie most beautiful of AUS
tralian birds
There are other species, such as the
scarlet breasted robin, flame breasted
robin, and Black and white robin, each
of which possesses a dainty plumage.
Among other birds are the blue wren
che7tnut-backed warbler superb warbler,
red-thFoat uoMtit, grOund-lark, and
grass-bird. The CHEEKY notes of the lat
eC4 tsAJo t44JSS u bl16 EEC0-h aTDI6Eg UlGy
frequently be beard during the night
Several of the Intoxicating birds, in ad-
ditiop to the possession Of exQuisitely
beautiful plumage, have rich meIodious
notes, which often inlpart Il sense of
pleasant animation to the long stretches,
occasionally scores Of miles III length. of
bush or forest. In addition to tn Sc al
ready named, should be mentioned the
rufelTs scrub bird. which is famous rs
mimic and q yentriloquist. 1t may some
times be heard initiating the notes of
many species inhabiting the same dis
trict, but prudentiy conceals 1tselt among
the denae foliage, thereby adding to the
perplexity OF Its hearers. The bush lark
is one of the most pleasing OF Australian
feathered songsters, and may often be
heard singing at night while flying
slowly about high in the air. more es-
pecially on bright moonlight nights dur
ing the summer time.
Numerous other species might be
named all valuable for their insectivor-
GUS instincts, and by the beautiful color
ing of their plumage or the richness of
their notes, imparuing an additional
charm to the Australian handsome