st idea where we were, or of the
direction in which we were to proceed. Of course, near the town there
are plenty of tracks, but here there were none; and there is such a
complete sameness in the bush that I wondered that even my experienced
friend should be able to guide us back. But he had no difficulty in
finding the way, and we were soon tramping steadily along under the
bright moonlight, the straggling gum-trees looking more gaunt and
unshapely than usual,--the dry twigs crackling under our feet; and we
reached the township long after midnight.

On another occasion I accompanied the Maryborough doctor into the bush
to shoot wattle birds for a pie; but we did not succeed in getting a
pieful. I have an idea that the gay-coloured dress of a young lady who
accompanied us frightened the birds away. There were plenty of birds
about, but very few of the sort we wanted--a bird as large as a
pigeon, plump and tender to eat. The doctor drove us in and out among
the trees, and had once nearly turned us all perforce out of the
buggy, having got his wheels locked in the stump of a tree.

The speckled honey-suckers, yellow and black, chirped and gabbled up
among the trees. The leather-heads, with their bare neck and ruffle of
white feathers, almost like so many vultures in miniature, gave out
their loud and sudden croak; then lazily flapped their wings and flew
away to the next tree. Suddenly there is heard the single cry of the
bell-bird, just like the ringing of a glass bell; while far off in
the bush you could hear the note of the Australian magpie or
piping-crow, not unlike that of a silver flute, clear, soft, and
musical. The piping-crow is, indeed, a clever bird, imitating with
wonderful accuracy the cries of other birds; and when tamed it is
exceedingly amusing, readily learning to whistle tunes, which it does
extremely well.

Another day, I went out shooting with the Presbyterian minister, an
enthusiastic taxidermist, now occupied in making a very nice
collection of Australian birds. We had a gay time of it in the bush
that day. There were plenty of grey and black mina-birds, or "miners,"
as they are called here, chattering away in the trees in groups of
four or five. They are a species of grakle, and are lively and
intelligent birds, some of them possessing a power of imitating human
speech equal to any of the parrot tribe. They are very peculiar
looking, grey in the body, with a black dab on the head, and a large
b