132 NATURAL HISTOEY SKETCHES. 



less, exactly the same in habits as the other, but darker 

 in plumage and much rarer. 



The Swamp Mac/pie, or mourning-bird, so called from 

 its black and white plumage, is an elegant little bird, 

 rather larger than the double thrush at home. It was a 

 winter migrant to us, and I generally found them in 

 small flocks in the belts of timber bordering the plains, 

 or on the edges of the swamps themselves, but scarcely 

 ever in the open, and almost always on the ground. 

 They were always shy and difficult to approach. The 

 plumage is rich glossy black and white, very strongly 

 marked, the beak and eye white. Their call-note was a 

 deep loud whistle, which I often used to hear long after 

 sundown. 



The large Carrion Crow was common in our forests 

 throughout the year, but we saw most of them during 

 the autumn and winter. I think a few pairs bred with 

 us. It is larger than the British crow, being interme- 

 diate in size between that bird and the raven, which it 

 much resembled in appearance and habits. The whole 

 plumage glossy purple-black, the tail rather cuneiform. I 

 always fancied we had two varieties, the one smaller than 

 the other ; and this in habits more resembled the British 

 rook, seemed to go in larger flocks than the other, and 

 in autumn congregated much on the wet plains. I never 

 saw a real rook out here. Unlike its British namesake, 

 which leads a solitary and persecuted life, the Australian 

 crow is rather a companionable bird than otherwise ; 

 generally seen in small flocks, and often close to the 



