OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 41 



hours of patient watch before it could be photographed. The 

 bird was very sensitive to the close position of the camera. 

 A further illustration shows the nest of the Magpie-Tiark 

 with the eggs of the White-rumped Swallow in it. This is 

 commonly seen. 



Eggs. — Three or four for a sitting. They vary in markings 

 considerably. The ground colour is usually dull white, but 

 very often nearly pure white, and always marked with blackish 

 spots, particularly to form a zone near the broader end. 

 Length, 0.9 inch ; breadth, 0.7 inch. 



SPINETAILED SWIFT, 



Cluetnra caiidaciita, Latli. 



ClKt^'tn'ra cauda cn'ta. 



Cluiite, mane ; ovra. tail ; cauda, tail ; acntus, pointed. 



Ch.^tura caudacuta, Gould, " Birds of Australia," fol., vol. ii., pi. 10. 



Geographical Distribution. — As shown in accompanying map. 



Key to Species. — Shafts of tail have spinous points ; tarsi as long or 

 longer than middle toe ; chin and throat pure white ; small white 

 band across forehead. 



The Spine-tailed Swift, in common with its near relative, the 

 White-rumped Swift, does not remain throughout the year in 

 Australia. The first-named breeds in Japan, the second in 

 Central Siberia, but each agrees in coming to our shores with 

 their voung at the end of the Northern summer. As they 

 arrive in Australia in November and depart in March, it is, 

 doubtless, the abundant insect life of our summer which 

 attracts them. 



