28 



NATURAL HISTORY. 



Buchanga never descend to tlie ground, but capture their prey entirely on the wing. Edolius 

 forficatus, according to Pollen (' Faune de Madagascar'), has similar habits. Those species that 

 do descend to the ground, such as Buchanga atra, do so to seize their food, and remain only for a 

 short time. This last-named species has the useful habit, where there are extensive plains of long 

 dry grasses without suitable trees or bushes, of sitting on the backs of antelopes, sheep, cattle, &c., 

 using them as beaters, and catching on the wing the insects disturbed by the feet of the grazing 

 animals. The feet in all the Dicruri are essentially constructed for grasping, by which, together with 

 the lengthened tail, walking is rendered difficult, if not altogether impossible. During a seven years' 

 residence in India, I never once observed the common King Crow (Buchanga atra) move along the 

 ground ; and it is the most widely-spread and least specialised of all the Asiatic species. The flight 

 of all is short, but rapid while it lasts." 



PIED GRALLINA. 



THE FIFTH FAMILY OF THRUSH-LIKE PERCHING BIRDS. 

 THE WOOD SHRIKES (Prionopida}. 



These form a small group of birds whose affinities are not very easy to determine. In many cases 

 the appearance and habits of the species are very nivrch like those of the Flycatchers, but they 

 all possess the chin-angle, reaching in front of the nostrils, to which allusion has already been 

 made.* The members of this family are of somewhat varied form, and are found in Africa, 

 India, Indo-Malayan regions, and Australia. One of the most remarkable of the Wood Shrikes is 

 the Pied Grallina (Grallina picata) of Australia, which Mr. Gould places between the Crow Shrikes 

 (Cracticus}\ and the Cuckoo Shrikes (Graucalns) : it is known by the names of Magpie Lark and 

 Little Magpie to the Australian colonists, and is described by Mr. Gould in the following manner : 

 "Few of the Australian birds are more attractive or more elegant and graceful in their 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 England. Gilbert states that in Western 

 Australia he observed it congregated in lai'ge families on the banks and muddy flats of the 

 lakes around Perth, while in the interior he met with it only in pairs, or at most in small 

 groups of not more than four or five together. He further observes that at Port Essington, 

 on the north coast, it would seem to be only an occasional visitant, for on his arrival there in 



" See ante, p. 2. 



, noisy- 



