24 THE USEFUL BIRDS 



it has been purposely knocked down on four occasions within 

 a month. 



In those districts where Swallows build mostly in burnt-out 

 trees, the fox makes a thorough inspection, and all that are 

 not more than 6 or 8 feet above the ground sooner or later 

 are precipitated, sometimes when empty, at other times when 

 containing the sitting birds. The fox scrambles up the 

 distance and grasps in its mouth nest and bird. It seems 

 most unfortunate this scourge should have got among our 

 terrestrial fauna, of which that beautiful form, the Menura, 

 has not suffered least. 



Nest. — Open, made of mud, and cup-like, the inner lining 

 being of feathers or grasses. 



Eggs. — Ground colour white, much spotted with ruddy- 

 brown or faint lilac. Clutch, 4 to 5 eggs. Length, 0.75 inch ; 

 breadth, 0.5 inch. 



FAIRY MARTIN 



(Bottle Sw^allow), 



Petroclielidon ariel, Old. 



Pet-ro kel-id'on ariel. 

 Petros, a rock ; chelidon, a swallow ; ariel, a sprite. 

 CoLLOCALiA ARIEL, Gould, '"' Birds of Australia," fol., vol. ii., pi. 15. 

 Geographical Distribution, — Areas 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 9. 



Key to the Species. — Under surface whitish ; throat with tiny black 

 streaks ; entire head rufous ; rump creamy- white ; tail forked ; 

 nostrils without any superior membrane, round and exposed. 



This fairy-like Swallow arrives in the south towards the end 

 of August, and leaves again for the north in the summer, 

 though if the winter be a mild one many flocks remain 



