^'/SSTS A.VD EGGS Or AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 

 FAMILY— PRIONOPID^ : WOOD SHRIKES. 

 Sub-family — Prionopin^,. 



64. — Ghali.ina piCATA, Latham. — {IC'i) 

 MAGPIE LARK. 



Figure. — CouM : Birds of Australia, fol., vol ii., pi 54 



Reference. — Cd^t. Birds Brit. Miis., vol. iii., pi. J72. 



Previous Desnif lions of f^gi.— Gould : Birds of Australia (1848). also 

 Handbook, vol. i., p. 190(1865) ; North: Austn Mus. Cat. p. 79, 

 pi. 8, fig. 12 (iSSg): Campbell: GeelonH Naturalist, vol. vi , p 5 

 1 1896 . 



Geographical I)i<trihuti(in. — Tluoughout Au.stialia and Tasmania 

 (accidental). 



Next. — Bowl-shaped, built of mud, usually black, but varies in shade 

 according to locality where gathered ; lined inside spainngly with grass 

 and a few feathers, and usually situated on a bare horizontal limb of g 

 tree in the vicinity of water, overhanging a stream, or standing in a 

 lagoon. Dimensions over all, 5A by 4i to 5 inches in depth ; egg cavity, 

 4i inches across by 2J inches deep. (See illustration.) 



Eygs. — Clutch, three to four, occasionally five ; usual shape pyriform ; 

 texturo of shell fine, and surface glossy ; colour, pearly-white, spotted 

 about the apex ivith dark purplish-red and light-purple, but generally the 

 gi'ound-colovu' is pinkish, ranging in tone from light pink or pinkish-white 

 to rich buffy-rcd, with markings of pinkish-red and pmple, confluent, and 

 forming a belt around the upper quarter ; in some examples the markings 

 ai-o more blotched, and distributed over the whole sux-face. Dimensions 

 in inches of two proper clutches : A (1) M4 x -8, (2) Ml x -82, (3) MO x -8, 



(4) 1-1 X -81; B(l) 1-8 X -82, (2) 1-08 x -8, (3) 1-6 x -81, (4) 1-05 x -78, 



(5) 1-03 X -78. (Plate 6.) 



Observations. — It is well that this interesting and most useful of insecti- 

 vorous birds is a cosmopolitan as far as Australia is concerned. The sexes 

 are similar in size, both black and white, but the female is readily 

 distinguished by her white face, whereas the male s is black. BDl and eyes 

 arc yellowish in both; total length of a specimen about 10 inches. Almost 

 in any locality where fresh water is found, from north to south or from east 

 to west, the familiar pied-phmiaged figures of the Grallina may be seen, 

 or its plaintive call heard. However, the bird is only accidental to 

 Tasmania. Gould was of opinion the Grallina was only a partial migrant 

 to Northern Australia, or was not stationary there, departing diuing the 

 rainy sea.son — that is, the summer. It would be well if this statement 

 were verified. 



The hard mud-constructed nests of the Magpie Lark or Grallina always 

 attract attention, so conspicuous do they appear, cemented on to a naked 

 limb. Sometimes several are seen in the same tree, being the homes of 

 successive seasons, for it takes many winters' rains to totally demolish a 



