PASSERIFORMES 151 



Australian Magpie-lark ; Mud-lark ; Pee- wee ; Pied Grallina 

 {Grallina australis) 



The Agricultural Department introduced a number of these birds 

 from Sydney, and liberated them on the west coast on the North 

 Island, where they promptly took to building nests. I do not know 

 the date of this attempt, but apparently it did not succeed, for no on 

 seems to know anything about the birds since. 



Dr Cleland says that in Australia "this bird occasionally feeds on 

 maize and wheat obtained near fowl-yards, etc., but it is doubtful 

 whether it touches crops. It is also found to eat plague-locusts, 

 grasshoppers, cockchafer larvae, etc. It is one of our foremost useful 

 birds." In their stomachs, in addition, there have been found moth 

 larvae, mole crickets, ants, small flies, and occasionally grass-seeds. 



* Australian Magpie ; White-backed Crow-Shrike 

 (Gymnorhina leuconota) 



The Canterbury Society liberated eight birds in 1864; four in 

 1866, and 32 in 1867, all from Victoria. They also received some 18 

 from Tasmania. In 1870 Mr E. Dowling imported a large number 

 from Tasmania, and these were liberated on Mr Moore's station at 

 Glenmark. The Society liberated 24 more in 1871. The birds soon 

 established themselves in the provincial district, and are now fairly 

 common. Of late years they have spread south of the Waitaki and as 

 far south as the Horse Ranges. 



The Otago Society introduced three in 1865; 20 in 1866; 32 

 in 1867; 20 in 1868; and six in 1869. At first it seemed as if they 

 were doing well, for they began to build nests at Inch-Clutha, and 

 in the vicinity of Dunedin. But from some unexplained reason — 

 (Mr Deans thought they were shot or taken by boys) — they entirely 

 disappeared, though now coming in again from the north. 



The Auckland Society introduced ten in 1867, and one in 1870. 

 But Sir George Grey introduced a number into Kawau probably at 

 an earlier date; they very quickly became numerous, and spread to 

 the mainland. 



The Wellington Society introduced 260 in 1874. 



These birds are fairly common in many parts of the North Island, 

 from Wellington to north of Whangarei, but their numbers vary a 

 good deal. Mr W. W. Smith tells me that they are not so abundant 

 in Taranaki now (19 16) as they were some years ago. Inland from 

 Wanganui, on the edges of the unbroken forest, they are very common. 

 T. H. Potts records (in 1873) how this bird defends itself successfully 

 against the native quail-hawk (Falco novce-zealandiee) by throwing 



