THE MALLEE COUNTRY 



93 



usually of grey or blackish mud. Four eggs are laid 

 to a clutch. It has been observed that the eggs vary 

 in colour in different localities. In a district where 

 the ground is light coloured, the eggs are likely to be 



YOUNG MAGPIE -LARKS. 



gray or white, with pale purple and red spots, chiefly 

 around the apex. If the soil be chocolate or red, 

 Grallinas' eggs from the locality show a buff-red 

 ground colour, freely marked with rich purple and 

 purple-red. 



The last of our trio of mud-nest builders is the 

 Apostle-Bird, or Grey Jumper [Struthidea cinerea}. 

 Like the White-winged Chough, this species is an 



