142 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA : 



near the ground the white mark on the rump shows very 

 conspicuously, and strikingly reminds one of the House 

 Martin of our own country." 



Two nests, taken by Gilbert on a small island in Coral 

 Bay, near the entrance of the harbor at Port Essington, 

 were completely formed of dry wiry grass and the fine 

 plants growing on the beach, they were placed in the 

 fork of a slender Mangrove tree, within 15 feet of the 

 water, in which they were growing ; but like several 

 other Australian birds, this species often avails itself of 

 the deserted nests of other birds instead of buildins: one 



o 



of its own. Most of those 1 found breeding on the 

 Mokai had possessed themselves of the forsaken nest of 

 the Grallira, which they had rendered warm and of the 

 proper size by slightly lining it with grasses, fibrous roots, 

 and the narrow leaves of the eucalypti. 



The colour of this bird, as show^n on our plate, is of a 

 leaden black with bluish bill, and belly white, and in 

 common with our other bird plates is shown in its natural 

 size. There are two other beautiful and useful species, 

 viz., A. sordidiis and A. personatus^ which we hope to 

 figure in Part IV. of the book. 



