Order Passertformes, Family Artamidae, Genus Pseudartamus. 89 



first birds arrive at dusk, and get a firm foothold upon the 

 roosting place, and the others cling on to them as they arrive. 

 The same roosting place is used night after night. They 

 sometimes gather in the same way in the day time, particu- 

 larly on cold, misty, or drizzly days. 



Food .—This is mostly taken upon the wing, much after 

 the manner of swallows, but they also search the bark of trees 

 for insects, clinging to it with the feet, and using the out- 

 spread tail as a support. Occasionally they take their food 

 uDon the ground. It is not uncommon to see them searching 

 the flowers of eucalypti, halcea, and other flowering shrubs, but 

 whether for the nectar or for insects is not known. With this 

 possible exception the food consists entirely of insects of all 

 classes. They are especially fond of bees, and for that 

 reason are not beloved by the apiarist. 



Flight.— Graceful and gliding; very like that of swallows. 



Song. — While hawking for insects or sitting upon a perch 

 they utter a single, rather harsh and plaintive note frequently 

 repeated. In the spring they have a continuous twittering 

 song, soft and musical, but so low pitched as not to be heard 

 at any great distance. When singing they have a habit of 

 wagging the partly outspread tail from side to side. 



Nest. — Favourite nesting places are the top of a broken 

 off limb, between a piece of loose bark and the hole of a tree, 

 in a thick fork of a peppermint, or in the butt of a mistletoe. 

 The nest may be any height from the ground, from a few feet 

 to 40 feet or more, but is usually not more than 10 or 12 feet 

 up. It is rather a frail looking structure, but is really 

 strongly, though lightly, constructed. The materials are fine 

 twigs and dried grasses for the framework, and rootlets and 

 finer grasses for the lining. No soft material, such as fur or 

 feathers, is used. Two, sometimes three, broods are reared 

 in the season ; the young birds of the first clutch being driven 

 away as soon os they are able to look after themselves. The 

 same nest is sometimes used twice, but usually it is too dilapi- 

 dated, and is pulled to pieces to make way for a new one in 

 +he same place. The breeding season lasts from August to 

 December. The usual clutch is three eggs, but sometimes 

 four, and sometimes only two are laid. 



Eggs. — The ground colour varies from white, through 

 creamy white, to light brown. They are spotted, mostly in a 



