.VESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. \\j 



sometimes boldly, with light-rufous or olive aud gi'ey, generally iu ilie fonn 

 of a belt round the upper quarter. Dimensions in inches of a full clutch ; 

 (1) -8 X -57, (2) -79 X -59, (3) -79 x -58, (4) -78 x 6 ; of a larger-sized paii- ; 

 (1) -SSx-e, (2) -Sx-e. (Plate H.) 



Oh.'^trvatiuns. — This bird is a simple study in black aud white — the 

 general plumage being glossy black relieved with a narrow line over either 

 eye and abdominal parts white. Eyes, bill, and feet are black. Total 

 length 7-j' inches, inchuling tail 4} inches and bill '^ inch. 



If we include the smaller race of the north-west part of the Continent,* 

 then the common Black-and-white Fantail is fmuid throughout the whole 

 of AustraUa. 



One hardly knows where to commence the observationsj which are 

 always interesting, of this general favoui'ite, sometimes called " Wagtail " 

 or " Shepherd's Companion. " I shall just lead off from Mr. Lau's manu- 

 script. Writing with reference to the Darling Downs, he says: — 

 " Queensland seems more the home than New South Wales of tliis lively, 

 intrepid httle customer, because, in spite of untiring search in the southern 

 part of the last-named State, I was never rewarded with its nest, although I 

 often met with the bird. A lover of water, it courts the friendship of the 

 Magpie Lark (Gralltna), often builds with it in the same tree, cha.ses with 

 the Magpie Lark intiiiders, aud finds with it the sustenance of hfe on the 

 margin of a rivulet. The Fantail dances on the backs of horses, cattle, 

 or sheep, in search of parasites, also hopping in the grass before the 

 devoiu-ing mouths .of such animals, watching for frightened insects 

 ascending from their liidiug-places. When with the Magpie Lark, the 

 situation of the nest is high ; but it builds low enough, frequently over 

 water on the top of so-called snags, on posts, &c. Once in Glenelg I knew 

 of a nest on the stem of a \'ine before my bed-chamber. In passing by, 

 the birds always greeted me, but one morning the eggs were gone. I swore 

 revenge and laid poison in the nest, which the following morning contained 

 the corpse of a fat lizard. The open nest is neatly formed out of decayed 

 grass and spiders' webs, lined \vith fibres, and contains three or four eggs. 

 At least three broods are reared iu a season, which extends from the end 

 of August or September to December." 



I have taken these homely httle birds' nests in Victoria, New South 

 Wales, and Queensland, and never particularly noticed, as Gould states, 

 that a Living branch always overshadowed the dead branch bearing the 

 nest. Nor have I noticed any particular predeliction of the Fantail to 

 nest near a Magpie Lark's home. On one occasion I recollect finding 

 a Fantail's nest \vith eggs in a small tree growing in a lagoon, near 

 a Grallina's containing young, but there was also in the same tree a nest 

 of the White-rumped Wood , Swallow, with a set of beautiful eggs, placed 

 within an old nest of a Grallina. 



• I have examined the eggs of this doubtful species (R. picata, Gould) in Mr. Keart- 

 land's collection, from the Fitzroy River district. They exactly resemble those of the 

 common bird, being somewhat pointed in shape, texture very fine, surface glossy, 

 colour yellowish-white, with a cloudy or indistinct belt of brownish and greyish markings 

 about the upper quarter. Dimensions in inches (i) -78 x 57; (2) 74 x '58. 



