30 The Sheep-Fluke. 



same protection could be extended to tlie nests of useful birds such as the 

 pee-wee, and this, in fact, is why I mention this simple, effective, and 

 inexpensive device. Many a tree could be so protected at a very trifling 

 expense, amounting to no more than the cost of a dozen nails, and the 

 trouble of driving them. 



In order that the reader may have a fuller account of our native snail- 

 eating birds I insert here two extracts from Gray's " Birds of Australia," 

 one on the mud lark and the other on the white-fronted heron. 



GRALLINA AUSTRALIS (G. R. Gray). "Pied Grallina." 



Gracula picata, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. 29. 



Pied Grakle, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol ii., p. 130— 7&. Gen. Hist., vol. iii., p. 169. 



Tanypus Australis, Oppel. 



Challina melanoleuca, Vieill. Anal, d'une Nouv. Orn., pp. 42 and 68. — Ih. Ency. Mtdth. 

 Orn., Part II., p. 693. — Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv., p. 233. 



Grallina bicolor, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv., p. 233. 



Grallina Australis, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd Edit., p. 33. 



Grallina picata, Strickl. in Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. ii. , p. 335. 



Corvus cyanoleucos. Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iii, p. 49? 



Magpie Lark, Colonists of N.S.W. 



Little Magpie, Colonists of Swan River. 

 // // „ 



Bij-yoo-gool-yee-de, Aborigines of the lowland, and Dil-a-but, Aborigines of the moun- 

 tain districts of Western Australia. 



" Future research will, in all probability, establish the fact of this bird 

 being universally dispersed over the greater portion of Australia. I have 

 specimens in my collection from New South Wales, Swan River, and Port 

 Essington, all of which are so closely alike that no character of sufficient 

 importance to establish a second species can be detected. Tliose that came 

 under my observation in New South Wales were never seen very near the 

 coast, but frequented the rich alluvial flats, and sides of the creeks and 

 rivulets of the interior. 



" Few of the Australian birds are more attractive than the present, or more 

 elegant and graceful in its actions, and these, combined with its tame and 

 familiar disposition, must ever obtain for it the friendship and protection of 

 the settlers, whose verandahs and housetops it constantly visits, running 

 along the latter like the pied wagtail of our own island ; in fact, the two 

 birds, except in size, are very similar. Mr. Gilbert states that in Western 

 Australia he obserA^ed it congregated in large families on the banks and 

 muddy flats of the lakes around Perth, while in the interior he only met with 

 it in pairs, or at most in small groups in not more than four or five together ; 

 he further observes that at Port Essington, in the north coast, it would seem 

 to be only an occasional visitant, for on his arrival there in July it was 

 tolerably abundant around the lakes and swamps, but from the setting in of 

 the rainy season in November to his leaving that part of the country in the 

 following March, not an individual w^as to be seen. It is evident, therefore, 

 that the bird removes from one locality to another, according to the season, 

 and the more or less abundance of its peculiar food. I believe it feeds solely 

 on insects of various kinds, particularly aquatic grubs, grasshoppers, and 

 coleoptera generally. 



" The flight of the Grallina is very peculiar, and, unlike that of any other 

 Australian bird that has come under my notice, it much resembles that of 

 the common pewit of Europe, and is performed with the same heavy flapping 

 motion of the wings ; still the flight of the two birds differs materially 

 during their passage through the air, the GralUna passing noiselessly and 

 generally in a straight line, while the pewit makes sudden turns and dips — 

 a peculiarity in its mode of flight, which must have been noticed by all who 

 have seen the bird on the wing. 



