251 



Artamus leucogaster. 



WHITK-KUMPELi \VUO]» SWALLOW. 

 Ocypierus leuco;/aster, Valeiic, Mem. Mus. d'Hist, VI., p. -Jl, pi. VII., tig. 2 ri>^-'0). 

 Artamus leucopygralis, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, 1842, p. 17, id., lids. Aust., fol., Vol. II., pi. 3S 



(1848), id., Handbk. Bds. Austr., Vol. I., p. 154 (1865). 

 Arta„ucs kaco,iaUer, Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. XT, p. 3, (1S90), ,;,,/., Handl. Bds., Vol. IV., 

 p. 260 (1903). 

 Adult ■swLK—GmKral colour above light chocolate-ljrown with a slaty-grey wash in the loww 

 back : rump and upper tail-coverts white ; ivings dark slate colour, with a blackish wash which is more 

 pronounced on the outer-series of the upper wing-coverts and the outer webs and tips of the primaries ,■ 

 tail feathers greyish-black, darker on their outer webs ; head and neck dark slaty-grey ; base of the bill 

 and lores blackish ; foreneck, breast, abdomen, under wing and under tail-coverts white : bill pale 

 blue, blackish at the tip ; legs and feet slate colour ; iris dark brown. Total length in the /esh 7:'f 

 inches; wing 5-o, tail 2-o, bill 0-7, tarsus 0-73. 



Adult fkmale — Similar in plumage to the male. 



mstrib^Uion-^ovth-^Nestem Australia, Northern Territory of South Australia, Queensland, 

 New South Wales, \^ictoria. South Australia, Western Australia. 



/-■f^HE W'hite-rumped Wood Swallow is 

 -L widely distributed over the greater 

 portion of the Australian Continent. It is 

 common in Queensland and in the northern 

 coastal districts of New South Wales, but is 

 not found in the southern coastal districts of 

 the latter State, or in the extreme southern 

 portions of the continent. I obtained specimens 

 at Coonamble, in the Central District of New 

 South Wales, where it is by no means 

 common, and in fact, with the e.xception of 

 Aiiainiii iiiiiior, which I have never met with, 

 it may be regarded as the rarest species in 

 the north-western portions of the State. 

 Stomachs of specimens e.xamined contained the remains of insects, principally beetles, but 

 as will be seen by Mr. Savidge's notes, it is also a great destroyer of bees. 



Mr. Thos. P. Austin writes me as follows from Cobborah Station, Cobbora, New South 

 Wales : — " Adivnus kucof^aster I saw for the first time during the second week of October, 1907, 

 from the balcony of an hotel at which I was staying in the town of Cairns, North-eastern 

 Queensland. Several pairs were perched upon a telegraph wire, and were continually diving 

 down after insects, which they secured, and would then return to the side of their mates. During 

 the following month I saw many of these beautiful birds breeding upon the islands off the coast 

 at Mackay. Perhaps there are but few birds in Australia which more readily betray the 

 situation of their nests. If approached when sitting, they will fly away uttering a plaintive note, 

 but will almost immediately return to their nests. I noticed the nests situated in a variety of 

 places, but on the islands the most favoured situation was among the leaves of a Pandanus tree." 



Mr. G. A. Keartland, of Melbourne, sends me the following note :— " During my stay 

 at the Fitzroy River, Western Kimberley, North-western Australia, from November, 1896, to 

 March, 1897, I frequently saw Artamus lencogaster near the swamps or river. They were either 



WIIITE-RUMPED WOOD SWALLOW. 



