THE BOB IN. 147 



again, all tlie while uttering a loud wild carol, which, 

 without possessing the melody of the European skylark, 

 was a deep, rich, although monotonous, song. It was 

 known among the shooters by the significant name of 

 " Captain Flash;" was a summer migrant to our parts, 

 as well as a smaller species of lark of a lighter brown 

 colour, which was also found on the plains, and appeared 

 to be a link between the lark and the piper. 



The Fiper was very common on all the dry plains 

 during the summer, and resembled the Meadow Piper at 

 home in appearance, habits, and call-note, but was 

 lighter in plumage. Used to kill a large variety on the 

 dead seaweed along the coast, which I considered the 

 Eock Piper. 



Pive species o^Boimwere more or less common to the 

 districts in which I have camped. The large black-and- 

 white robin, which we also called the Magpie Sparrow, 

 was the largest of all : a thick bird, larger than the Tel- 

 lowhammer at home, pied black and white ; a summer 

 migrant to us, and generally seen in pairs very sparingly 

 dispersed about the small belts of honeysuckle on the 

 edges of the plains. I never fancied this a true robin. 

 The common Australian robin is smaller than its British 

 namesake. The body-colour deep black, with a white 

 forehead and dull-red breast. Of this bird we had three 

 other varieties, the one a little larger than the last, the 

 red on the breast much brighter and much more of it. 

 This was often on the plains, the other more in small 

 timber. We had another variety with a red forehead, 



