INSESSORES. 143 



Family ARTAMID-ffi. 



The proper position of the members of this isolated form 

 has been a stumbKng-block to every ornithologist. Those 

 who have had opportunities of observing them in a state of 

 nature cannot have failed to notice how closely they resemble 

 the Swallows in their actions and general mode of life ; to a 

 certain extent, they offer an alliance to some of the LaniadcBy 

 as Gi/nmorhina, and Mr. Jerdon has applied to the Indian 

 members the trivial name of Swallow-Shrikes ; I shall, how- 

 ever, retain that of Wood Swallow, which is equally descrip- 

 tive, and had been applied long before. 



Australia is undoubtedly the head-quarters of these pretty 

 birds ; but other species are found throughout the Indian 

 Islands to the continent of India. They are all insectivorous, 

 and must perform a most important part in checking an 

 undue increase of those creatures. 



Sp. 73. ARTAMUS SORDIDUS. 



Wood Swallow. 



Tardus sordidus, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xliii. 

 Sordid Thrush, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 186. 

 Ocypterus albovittatus, Cuv. Regn. Anim., torn. iv. t. 3. f. 6. 

 Artamus lineatus, Vieill. 2nde Edit, du Nouv. Diet. d^Hist. Nat., 

 torn. xvii. p. 297. 



albovittatus, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 210. 



Leptopteryx alhovittata, Wagl. Syst. Av., sp. 5. 

 Be-wo-wen, Aborigines of Western Australia. 

 Work, Aborigines of King George^s Sound. 

 Wood Swallow of the Colonists. 



Artamus sordidus, Gould, Birds of Australia, foL, vol. ii. pL 27. 



No species of the Australian Artami with which I am 

 acquainted possesses so wide a range as the present; the 

 whole of the southern portion of the continent, as well as the 

 island of Tasmania, being alike favoured with its presence. 



