Vol. VII, 

 1907 



1 Batey, Magpies or Crow-Shrikes. gr- 



were ten vineyards in the vicinity of Sunbury, one of them abut- 

 ting on our property. It never came to my ears that Magpies 

 touched grapes in any of these plantations. The vignerons' 

 worst foes were Ravens, regarding which they had to be contin- 

 ually on the watch when the grapes were ripening. If the 

 question of the damage done by Gymnorhin<s to farmers and 

 orchardists was carefully thrashed out, I venture to say that it 

 would be found very trifling. Conceding that they may levy toll 

 on these two classes of producers, what injury they may inflict 

 on them is compensated for in the wholesale destruction of 

 injurious insect life. On that account we should use our best 

 endeavours to protect them and all other insectivorous birds. 

 The usefulness of Magpies can be noted in another direction, in 

 destroying small animal pests. Our pet bird would eat a dead 

 mouse when thrown to her. Magpies in their wild state, 

 according to the testimony of one of the Messrs. M'Nab, do kill 

 mice. The gentlemen in question were the noted breeders of 

 Ayrshire cattle, of TuUamarine, a tract of country lying between 

 Essendon and Bulla townships. About seven years ago Mr. 

 M'Nab said his district was swarming with mice, and they 

 were found even under dry cow manure, where the Magpies 

 searched and caught the animals. Prior to my -removal to Gis- 

 borne, and thence to Newham, my observations had been con- 

 fined chiefly to the Sunbury region. At Gisborne for the first 

 time in my experience a Magpie was seen taking a dust-bath. 

 This individual went through the performance just as a domestic 

 fowl, doubtless for the same purpose — that is to say, to enable 

 the shaking out of lice. In my travels thereaway another 

 instance or two of the dust-bath was noticed. From this it 

 will be noted, if we want to gain an intimate knowledge of the 

 ways of birds, the sphere of our observations should be as ex- 

 tensive as possible. Here a useful suggestion has to be made 

 as to how the usefulness or injuriousness of certain birds can be 

 readily decided. The Melbourne weeklies either write or send 

 forms to our leading agriculturists to be filled in, in order to form 

 an estimate of a forthcoming grain yield. Now, my suggestion 

 is, go to our prominent metropolitan journals and request the 

 heads thereof, when collecting information, to add the following 

 query — "Are singing Magpies {Gytnnorhime) and their allies 

 {Streperce) injurious or useful birds?" Our newspapers not only 

 seek information, but are also anxious to diffuse it, hence the con- 

 clusion is they would willingly fall in with this proposal. In 

 the event of so doing, they might embrace other indigenous 

 birds in the query. If so, we would gain a stock of valuable 

 information. 



Elsewhere allusion was made to the fact that only a small 

 percentage of Magpies breed, but some years ago, taking in the 

 creek frontage of the old station on both sides of the stream, if 



