28 



wing primaries were giving way to the black quills in order from 

 the first ; the earthy plumes of the remaining parts of the body 

 were making place for the blacks; abdomen and lower tail coverts 

 were already white. 



Gould proved P. leggii to moult its " reds" annually. A new 

 supply shows out almost patch for patch in P. phcenicea in 

 February (skins, 26/1/1990, described Roy. Soc. of Vic). The 

 song of this species is clear and strong, like P. leggii, but is much 

 sweeter and of a different setting. 



Artamus personatus, Gould. 



Artamus personatus, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. vol. II., pi. 31; 

 Sharpe, Brit. Mus. Cat., Bds., vol. XIII., p. 16; Hall, "Key to 

 the Birds of Austr." p. 48. 



Immature skin, female, 24/ll/'98. The mask is not so well 

 defined as in adult skins, and the outer borders of the primaries 

 are edged with light-brown. 



This species, like Corvus coronoides, places outposts as an act of 

 prevention when bellicose birds are in the neighbourhood. They 

 change their sentinels irregularly, but are always sure to have 

 some three to four birds perched on an elevated position watching 

 the interests of the general body of feeders below. Others fly up 

 at intervals to take up the duty. If an enemy, say in the shape 

 of a Crow-shrike, appears, the sentinels' necks croon forward, and 

 discordant calls, louder and in quicker time than is usual, are 

 given. The colony is on the wing at once in readiness for an 

 attack, and they certainly seem to think discretion is the better 

 of valour, for away they go to take up a position elsewhere. A 

 very similar observation has been communicated to me by Mr. 

 Geo. Graham concerning A. super ciliosus. In this case the 

 enemy seemed specially to be the White-backed Crow-shrike 

 (G. leuconota). 



Artamus sordidus, Latham. 



Artamus sordidus, Gould, Bds. Austr., fol. vol. II., pi. 27 : 

 Sharpe, Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol. XIII., p. 19; Hall, "Key to 

 the Birds of Austr.," p. 48. 



a. Skin, female, 14/8/'98. Xo white in third primary — indi- 

 cates not quite mature. Second primary longer than first. 



b. Skin, nestling male, 10/12/'96. The upper and under 

 surfaces brown, streaked and spotted with dusky white, much 

 stronger on the upper ; wings deep slate, second and third 

 primary edged with clear white on the outer webs, coverts wedge- 

 marked with brown at tips ; tips of primaries clearly marked by 

 white, also shoulder of wing, both of which entirely disappear in 

 the adult ; distal third of rectrices white, bill brown, legs and 

 feet slatey-brown. Length of wing, 3"1 ins.; culmen, 0*4 ins.; 

 tail, 1-5 ins. 



