Order Panaeriformes, Family Privndpidae\ Genus Grallvn'a. 13$ 



upper and under wing coverts, white; rump, upper tail 

 coverts and tail, white; the tail with a broad black subterminal 

 band, which is broadest on the central feathers, and decreases 

 in width towards the distal portion of the outer ones; all tail 

 feathers tipped with white; bill, yellowish white, with a dark 

 brown streak along the apical portion of the culmen, extend- 

 ing to the tip; legs and feet, black; iris, yellowish white. 

 Measurements.— Total length of skin, 200 m.m.; wing, 180 

 ni.m.; tarsus, 44 m.m.; culmen, 19 m.m. 



Female. — Lores, forehead, and throat, white; no white 

 above or below the eye; a broad black vertical band extends 

 from the crown of the head, through the eye, to the black pec- 

 toral band, otherwise the plumage is similar to that of the 

 male. 



Distribution. — The whole of the mainland of Australia, 

 Kangaroo Island, and accidentally in Tasmania. 



Habits. — They are graceful and handsome birds that 

 spend most of their time on the ground at the borders of 

 streams and pools, looking for their food in the soft mud. 

 Damp, grassy flats, paddocks, and lawns are also favourite 

 hunting grounds. They are never found far from water. The 

 gait is walking or running, resembling that of the European 

 starling. During nesting time they are found in pairs, and 

 for some time after go about in small flocks, consisting of the 

 old birds and their young of the year. In later autumn and 

 winter they gather into quite large flocks, which move about 

 their own district, but do not migrate. 



Song. — A loud, shrill note, resembling pee-wit or knee- 

 deep. In the nesting season they have a second, more melo- 

 dious, note, like choo-woop. 



Flight. — Slow, heavy, and flapping, often turning the 

 body from one side to the other. 



Food. — Insects, grubs, worms, and small snails, generally 

 taken from mud or wet ground. They are said to destroy the 

 fresh water snail, which acts as the intermediate host of sheep 

 fluke. They will eat grain, for many are killed with poisoned 

 wheat every year. 



Nesting. — The breeding season lasts from August to 

 December. Three broods are often reared. The nest is 

 placed upon a horizontal branch, nearly always overhanging 

 water. The height from the ground varies from six to 50 

 feet. The nest is built of mud, strengthened with straw. It 



