106 NATURAL H1STVRY. 



of the South African species : " The arrival of these birds is announced by a sharp cry ; and the next 

 moment they may be seen in a little flock descending fearlessly on and amongst the cattle, which are 

 at first much alarmed, and run about in wild confusion, just as they do when troubled with gadflies ; 

 but these apprehensions are soon dispelled, and exchanged for sensations of evident pleasure, as the 

 oxpeckers run over their backs, sides, and bellies, like Woodpeckers upon trees, except when an ox, 

 by an occasional jerk or sudden twist, appears to indicate that the claws of the bird have caused 

 something like pain by touching some spot where the skin of the animal happens to be tender." The 

 same author also alludes to the bird in his "Lake 'Ngami": "It is also a frequent companion of 

 the Rhinoceros, to which, besides being of service in ridding him of many of the insects that 

 infest his hide, it performs the important part of sentinel. On many occasions has this watchful 

 bird prevented me from getting a shot at that beast. The moment it suspects danger it flies almost 

 perpendicularly up into the air, uttering sharp shrill notes that never fail to attract the attention of 

 the Rhinoceros, who, without waiting to ascertain the cause, almost instantly seeks safety in a precipi- 

 tate flight." 



THE THIRD FAMILY OF THE STARLING-LIKE PERCHING BIRDS. 



THE WOOD SWALLOWS (Artamida). 



The exact relations of the present family have been very variously determined by naturalists, 

 some of whom have placed them near the Shrikes. In the wild state they resemble Swallows in their 

 actions and general mode of life, while in the shape of their bills they exhibit great affinities to some 

 of the Shrikes and .Crow-shrikes. The food consists of insects, and the habitat of the Wood Swallows is 

 the Australian region, where they are distributed not only over Australia itself, but all over the Moluccas, 

 and one species is found in the Indian Peninsula and the Burmese countries. Mr. Gould writes of the 

 common Wood Swallow (Artamus sordidus) : " The Wood Swallow must, I think, ever be a general 

 favourite with the Australians, not only from its singular and pleasing actions, but from its often taking 

 up its abode and incubating near the houses, particularly such as are surrounded by paddocks and open 

 pasture-lands skirted by large trees. It was in such situations in Tasmania that, at the commencement 

 of spring, I first had an opportunity of observing this species. It was then very numerous on all the 

 cleared estates on the north side of the Derwent, about eight or ten being seen on a single tree, and 

 half as many crowding one against another on the same dead branch, but never in such numbers as to 

 deserve the appellation of flocks. Each bird appeared to act independently of the other ; each, as the 

 desire for food prompted it, sallying forth from the branch to capture a passing insect or to soar round 

 the tree and return again to the same spot. On alighting it repeatedly throws up one of its wings, and 

 obliquely spreads its tail. At other times a few were seen perched 011 the fence Surrounding the pad- 

 docks, on which they frequently descended, like Starlings, in search of coleoptera and other insects. The 

 form of the wing of the Artamus sordidus at once indicates that the air is its peculiar province ; hence 

 it is, that when engaged in pursuit of the insects which the serenity and warmth of the weather have 

 enticed from their lurking-places among the foliage to sport in higher regions, this species displays 

 itself to the greatest advantage. But the greatest peculiarity in the habits of this bird is its manner 

 of hanging together in clusters from the branch of a tree like a swarm of bees. The season of incubation 

 is from September to December. The situation of the nest is much varied. I have seen one placed in a 

 thickly-foliaged bough near the ground, while others were in a naked fork, on the side of the bole of 

 a tree, in a niche formed by a portion of the bark having been separated from the trunk, &c. The nest 

 is rather shallow, of a rounded form, about five inches in diameter, and composed of tine twigs neatly 

 lined with fibrous roots. I observed that the nests found in Tasmania were much larger, more com- 

 pact, and more neatly formed than those on the continent of Australia. The eggs are generally four 

 in number ; they differ much in the disposition of their markings ; their ground-colour is dull white, 

 spotted and dashed with dark umber brown ; in some a second series of greyish spots appear as if 

 beneath the surface of the shell. Their medium length is eleven lines, and breadth eight lines." 



THE FOURTH FAMILY OF THE STARLING-LIKE PERCHING BIRDS. 



THE LARKS (Alaudida-). 



In the formation of the scales of the tarsus the Larks very much resemble some of the songless 

 perching birds which will be presently described, but it need scarcely be said that this external 



