WHERE THE BELL-BIRD CHIMES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2894, 25 August 1909, Page 83

WHERE THE BELL-BIRD CHIMES.

St Edith* Howss,

Bfil/L-BIRDS.

Where vines aad branrb'es twined mm bung across a rat* bough, forming a shady secluded thickei, a pair of ball-birds built tbe-r scut. In the softly-feathered cup lay four dainty eggs— pale, pink-tinted, speckled at the larger end.

Prom tho eggs were hatched four widemotithod hungry baby birds. Tho parents fed them lovingly, bringing honey roted with tiny flies, that most delicious beH-bird ■mea.

Small and helpless at first tbe ba,bies grew so fast that soon they could peep over the, edge of the nest. Green leaves and brown sterna lay bzlow, scented bramble flowers hung above, and far beyond the blue sky shone. "Ours hi s beautiful home," *aid the happy babies.

- Sweet-flower' ng spring was followed by warm summer daya. The little bell-birda' feathers csjn». aTd theft wings, grew strong. They were like their mother in their colouring of quiet green ard brown and the white mark-ine 'rom curved bill to neok.

'•"i— ~i out and learn your lessons," said their falter

them -to fly. luring '* --m with encouraging words from the safety of their v- ■ '«he untried perils of the bough, shewirg them how to raise their wings and lay them- on tbe air, and bow to make firs 4 * short dropping flight, and gr?«hicaJ3y longer ones; teaching them with infinite patience till' at last they could follow him from tree to Itree. *"

He taught them how to guard their lives, instructing them t<y drop to cover at the parent call of danger, to fly from sight or tonnd of owl or tawk. He taught them hovr to find their food. He kd them tc the topmost rata boughs, where crimson

'•iT3m« n-'-.-^ec' beneath the golden sun. Here, swinging end swaying among tbe brilnjnt blossoms, they- learned to thrust their brus-h-tipped tongues into the overflowing hoKisycuns, ' withdrawing them adrip with pale, delicicus richness. H» taught them, too, ' to hunt beneath the leaves and bark for. juicy grubs and caterpillars; to ohase and *catch a flying gnat or moth. Bint one thiiig the' little bell-birds " could not learn —their father's eong. Parched high he poured out those delightful notes, those liquid chimings as of golden bells struck witib golden clappers that seemed to set the very leaves to trembling with the rapture of the tolling music. The yourg ones lis-tenocl, longad, and strained their little tbroate to emulate the glowing notes. But baby tubes were nof yet strong enough. A low-tonei "klong" was the only note that came. "Practice!" said their father, md they practised.

Autumn - came with fast-ripening berries. The -bell-birds held: high feast, staining their sleek heads purple in- -the judcy fuchsia fruit.

"Winter ca^me. From ' the open bush the W.l-bjxds .flitted to tbe warmer sheltered gullies in the hitls, where towering- trees and thick-massed creepers shut them in from wet ani c»!d. Here, feeding on insets, ihey liveH patiently through the monbhs of short grey days.

Spring returned. Kcwhai blooms burst out. a yellow hanging radiance through the bush. Back to their' old haunts flew the waiting bell-birds, nevelling once more in honey feasts, staining their heads anew in dust of gold.

The warm sun shone, filling the air with gladness. Spring breezes roussd all things to pulsing life. Th-e four, now grown to their full size and plumage, feft a strange unrest, a stirring of a nameless joyfulness that locg«d for means of outlet.

"Waking <k\ the first bright streak «f dawn one walked with clinging feet to the top twig of the tree and opened his threat to try. again to Bing. '-Kling. klang. klcnp, klung! Klung, Wong, Bang, kling!" At last! at last! song had come.

Up and down the ball-bird s-caLe he ran. his little throat contracting and expanding, hip bc-dy thrsbbing with th« joy of his achievement. Full as his father's, clear and tru« acd go'.dten, the n<jtes tolled through the morning air, a chime of bells ''rung out across the silent trees.

H« w<oke the bush. Bell-birds and tuis, wariilers and wr«n9, sprang from sleep to answer the sweet call in a burst -of morning melody.' ' X*w and high, loud and soft, note and 'call and full-phrased song, the glor-oiis chorus swelled, the Dawn Song of the bush, the sweetest music ever made en earth. And in that hour of ecstasy the fledgUa&a of last year Held theii full part. To them b?d cox&c at last the gift of song.