68 SOME USEFUL AU ST R ALAIN BiRDS. 



SECTION III. 



Birds of Inland Plains^ Swamps^ Open 

 Forests, and Scrubs. 



In making this division one has to place in it some birds that are equally 

 at home in the last section, and which are found along the edges of our coastal 

 forests. All those birds that may be considered typical of the western, 

 lands, that enliven the open box forests, that live in the giant red-gum trees 

 that fringe the banks of our inland rivers and swamps, or that police the 

 scrub on the sand ridges and red-soil flats or the great open grass-covered 

 plains have been retained in this section. They are as follows : — 



Plain-turkey or Bustard White-winged Chough 



(Eupodotis australis). {Corcorax 7nelanorha)i,phus)^ 



Mallee-fowl or Lowan White-browed Babbler 



{Leipoa ocellaia). (Pomatorhinus superciliosa)^ 



Stone Plover or Land Curlew Grey-crowned Babbler 



(Burh.nus grallarius). (Pomatorhinus temporalis)^ 



Black -breasted Plover Apostle-bird [Struthidea cine ea). 



(Zonifer tricolor). Sacred Kingfisher {Halcyon sanctus)^ 



Spur-winged Plover Nankeen Kestrel 



(Lobivanellus lobatus). (Cerchneis cencroides). 



Straw-necked Ibis Wedge-tailed Eagle 



{Carphihis sptmcollis). (Urocetus audax)^ 



Blue-crane or White-fronted Heson. Brown Tree-creeper 



{Notophoyx novce-hollandice). (Climacteris scandens)^ 



Nankeen Night Heron Orange-winged Nut-hatch 



{Nycticorax caledonicus). {Neositta chrysoptera). 



Pacific Gull {Gabianus pacificus). Crested Bell-l»ird (Oreoica cristata.} 



White-eyed Crow or Raven White-fronted Chat 



{Corone australis). {Ephthianwa albifrons). 



The Australian Bustard or Plain-turkey (Eupodotis australis Gray). 



Gould's Handbook, vol. II, p. 208, No. 495 ; Leach's Bird Book, p. 51, No. 110. 



An old cock Bustard in full spring plumage, strutting about over the open 

 plains looking after three or four of the smaller hens, is the most handsome 

 and stately of all our birds. The harmonious blend of the pepper-and-salt 

 plumage, the upright carriage, the sweeping neck plumes and bright yellow 

 eye keeping keen watch all round, make up a sight to be remembered. 



The Bustard is found all over Australia, but migrates from one part of the 

 country to the other, following its food supplies. In the old days, on the 

 plains of north-west Victoria, as soon as the grasshoppers made their appear 

 ance we were sui'e to have wild turkeys in the paddocks within a few weeks. 



