The Emu. 
15 
mitted that the imported Sparrow, normally a seed-eating bird, 
does at times prey upon small insects. The true explanation 
of the Magpie's depredations is possibly that the birds have 
discovered in pulling up the young cornstalk that they often 
uncover worms, grubs, &c., which were lying in the soil about 
the roots. This is just the position to look for the grub of the 
cockchafer, and also the cut-worm caterpillar, 
I am also sorry to record that the Black-backed Magpie has 
taken to eating orchard fruits — the fig and the peach. Where 
this was noticed the Magpies are very plentiful. After feeding 
in the open, many birds take shelter in the fruit trees, and 
perhaps it has come about that while the birds were dozing at 
midday they were tempted to examine the ripe fruits around 
them. With their strong bills they very soon disfigure the soft 
fruits. They never touch the fig or the peach unless quite ripe. 
But how can the farmer and the orchardist remember these 
little items, when he knows what an immense amount of good 
they do, what hordes of noxious insects they devour? Supposing 
one bird were to catch a score of grasshoppers every day for a 
week (that number would indeed be a very small ration), then a 
total of 140 can be credited to one bird. But one bird is only a 
unit of the flock usually found in the field. The Black-backed is 
very much more sociable than its southern relative; it is no un- 
common thing to see 50 or 60 birds feeding together, even during 
the breeding season. One summer morning no less than 87 were 
counted on a field of nine acres. Fifty birds, devouring 140 
grasshoppers each in a week, would account for 7,000 insects. 
Supposing, on a meagre estimate, a grasshopper would eat a 
square inch of grass-blade per day, then the farmer would have 
7,000 square inches of grass for his stock which would not have 
remained his but for the Magpie. So the service rendered by 
this much-abused insectivorous bird is quite incalculable. The 
flute-like song or carol of the Magpie is indeed so well known 
that the Australian bush or meadow is not Australian without 
it. The bird has two other calls — the alarm note and a single 
whistling call. 
The Raven, and its smaller relative the Crow, inhabiting the 
inland and western areas, are both as black as they are painted. 
Although insectivorous birds, yet they have a well-known liking 
for carrion. The squatter gives them very bad reputations, for 
in the lambing season they are known to destroy numbers of 
young lambs by picking the eyes out of the unfortunate animals 
newly born. But during the greater part of the year, when 
there is no mischief to be done, they are on good behaviour, and 
spend their time in assisting to keep the locusts in check. In 
some districts the Raven has developed a liking for fowls' eggs, 
and will rob nests that are any distance from the homestead. 
The bird carries the egg away whole in its bill to some quiet 
spot where it can enjoy the contents at leisure. One day 
