Order Picariae, Family Alcedinidae. Species Dacelo gigas. 7 



They live in small companies or probably in families, 

 separating during the day to feed, and congregating just after 

 sunset to roost. -As they meet they render their part song, 

 which has been compared to a loud, hoarse, coarse laugh, but 

 which to the settler is a merry good-night; one bird beginning, 

 followed by another, and then they all join in the chorus. 

 This is continued till it is quite dark, or even later. The 

 jackass is also the first bird to awake in the morning, its 

 merry note pealing out before one recognizes that rthe dawn 

 is breaking. It is usually about a quarter of an hour before 

 the next bird awakes. 



Food. — Beetles, spiders, grubs, mice, lizards, small birds, es- 

 pecially the young taken from the nest and the fresh water 

 crayfish or yabbies (Astacopsis Tricar inatus), for which 

 it dives, catching them in water up to two feet in 

 depth. ('apt. White mentions that he has seen a 

 jackass, after an hour's hard work, beat a full-grown 

 rat to pulp and swallow it. It has been noted that he 

 does not eat his food except ! on the ground or on a large flat 

 horizontal branch of a tree. This bird will sit motionless on 

 the low branch of a tree for hours watching intently. 

 Suddenly he will fly to the ground, give two or three vigorous 

 pecks at the ground, shaking his head after each, to detach 

 the earth from his bill, then throwing his body back on his 

 tail he will extract a large earthworm, with which he will re- 

 turn to his branch, pound it to pulp, and swallow it. 



They swallow their pounded food whole, ejecting the indi- 

 gestible portions (bones, hair, &c.) in quids. 



If unmolested they become very tame, and if food be placed 

 out for them they readily learn to come for it. They can 

 easily be taught to come regularly, almost at the same time 

 each day. 



Flight. — Very straight, not undulating, long, even, slow- 

 wing movement. On alighting they throw the head back a 

 little and elevate the tail, and usually utter a few gurgles. 

 The tail is kept slowly mo\ing up and down like a pump 

 handle for a few minutes after settling. It is not jerked like 

 that of a rail, but moves with slow, regular beats. 



Nesting Place.- — A hollow spout in a gumtree, usually high 

 up. Sometimes they hollow out a hole for themselves in a 

 rotten tree. They make no nest, but lay on the wood dust 

 in the bottom of the hollow. The eggs are two or three in 



