SOME USEFUL AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 73 



they move along. Its curious, harsh chattering cry, with a mournful 

 wailing note, is quite unlike that of any other bird of the forest. When dis- 

 turbed it flies up into the trees, its jet black plumage showing up the large 

 white patch in the centre of the wing, which is hidden when at rest. Its 

 somewhat large tail seems to overbalance it as it settles on a branch, 

 and its bright red eyes give it a very alert look as it peers down at 

 you from the branches above. 



I was first acquainted with the Black Magpie in the forest covering 

 the low granite Terrick and Mount Hope Ranges in northern Victoria, 

 and have met the birds in many parts of western and northern New 

 South Wales lately, all along the Barwon River. They are well known 

 in South Australia and Queensland. 



Their nesting habits are remarkable, for they are among the few large 

 birds that use clay for making their nests. These are constructed like a 

 rounded basin, nearly 9 inches in diameter and slightly over 6 inches in 

 depth. The clay used in their construction is usually matted together with 

 grass stalks, and well lined with feathers. The number of eggs laid is 

 variable, ranging from five to eight, and they are dull-white, thickly blotched 

 with dull-slate colour and olive-brown. The nesting time is from August 

 to December. In its native state the Black Magpie seldom leaves the open 

 forest or river banks to which its hunting is confined, and where a flock must 

 destroy an enormous number of insects every year. 



The White-browed Babbler (Po.natorhinus superciliosa Vig. and Horsf .) 

 Oould's Handbook, vol. I, p. 482, No. 294 ; Leach's Bird Book, p. 131, No. 274. 



The White-browed Babbler is found all over the inland portion of the 

 southern half of Australia and ranges into northern Queensland and the 

 Northern Territory. Whenever a traveller pitches his camp where there is 

 timber and water about, he is sure to be inspected in the early morning by 

 a family party of these fussy, chattering, restless birds.^ Their call r note can 

 be translated into " Follow rue, follow me" ; ahtf akjtiieV frequjeitly fly one 

 after the other, the bushman commonly knew-s them aA "follow, me," . They 

 are handsome birds, with slender heads, bright" ejres,. a "white 'line abov'e the 

 eyes, and large tails. They never seem to be at rest or to stop hunting over 

 the ground for insects. If one gives a call, off they go one after the other, 

 to fly into a tree, run up and down the branches and chatter, and then 

 suddenly to cluster together, fluff out their feathers and scatter again. 

 When on one occasion camped on a creek near Moree, we had a party that 

 used to fly up to our tent regularly every morning just after daylight ; 

 they would often chase each other between the tent and the fly above, to 

 give us their morning greeting, and to pick up the stray moths that were 

 sheltering there. 



