170 MATESHIP WITH BIRDS 



from one locality at any season of the year. Withal, 

 it is recorded by a friend who carried out a long 

 droving trip down the west of Queensland, that a 

 "Shepherd's Companion" followed his cattle for at 

 least 70 miles, occupying ten days; identification 

 was possible because the Wagtail had met with an 

 accident and had no tail to wag ! 



The exception to the general lack of travellers 

 among the black and whites is the White-shouldered 

 Caterpillar-eater (Lalage), which cumbersome 

 name, by the way, certain schoolboys cheerfully dis- 

 regard in favor of the more expressive and allitera- 

 tive title of ' 'Midget-Magpie." Here, again, you get 

 a courageous temperament, allied, in the case of the 

 male bird, to a highly musical voice, even though 

 the quiet garb of the female, and the very small 

 size of the nest, afford protection that is lacking in 

 the cases of so many other daring studies in black 

 and white. 



