OF SOUTH EBN AU STB ALIA. 283 



of these birds upon them in search of grubs. The absence of 

 Woodpeckers {Picidre), the natural enemy of wood-eating 

 larvae in Australia, is partly compensated for by this bird. 

 As orchards open out in the eastern part of our colony this 

 bird will play its role very nicely if left alone, for the time 

 may come when longicorn and other beetle larvse will bring 

 trouble to the trees introduced for profit. 



A writer in an old paper speaks of a great mass of timber 

 levelled in order to oust a horde of hungry grubs, a course 

 that probably may be followed under compulsion in the 

 future if the numbers of this bird be reduced. They are, 

 however, to be found so numerously distributed in the 

 mountain districts that at times those parts seem blockaded 

 by them. 



Great scars in the trees assume the V-shape, some two 

 inches deep, and young and old birds very quickly disfigure a 

 part of a forest in search of the juicy grubs. The one-year-old 

 bird is not nearly as expert as the warrior of maturer years, 

 for, while he thinks and hesitates, the latter knows his 

 business, and proceeds to dislodge the enemy upon a slender 

 indication. The general appearance of the nest and eggs is 

 not unlike that of those of C. galerita. 



