Away to their left was the harbour, with its shipping, and beyond it the ocean; the town lay behind them, and on either side of the track with its lines of ruts there were plenty of green pasture and trees scattered here and there--monsters some seemed to be--and in the openings were great patches of short, scrubby growth.
All at once, as Nic was thinking how peculiar the trees looked in colour, there came a loud musical series of notes from a grove-like patch, in which the boy immediately concluded there must be a house.
"Hear that ?" said the doctor.
"Yes, father, plainly." "Well, what do you make of it ?" "Some one playing a kind of flute." "No, Nic.

That is our Australian magpie." "Magpie ?" cried Nic, forgetting his uncomfortable seat; "but magpies at home in Kent have a harsh kind of laugh." "Like that ?" said the doctor, as a loud, hoarse chuckle arose.
"No: harsher and noisier.

Was that the magpie ?" "No, Nic; that was our laughing jackass." "What! A donkey ?" "No; there he sits, on that bare limb," cried the doctor, pointing up to a big, heavy-headed, browny-grey bird, which seemed to be watching them, with its great strong beak on one side.
Nic examined the bird carefully.
"You would not think that was a kingfisher ?" said the doctor.
"No," cried Nic; "though the shape is something like, all but the tail, which is so much bigger." "But it is a kingfisher all the same, though he does not fish as his ancestors may have done.

He lives on beetles, lizards, mice, and frogs, and that sort of game.

There's your flute-player again." For the sweet, melodious, whistling notes arose once more, sounding somewhat as if a person were running the notes of a chord up and down with different variations.
"It's very sweet," said Nic.
"Yes.