GRALLINA AUSTRALIS, G.R.Grqy. 
Pied Grallina. 
Gr acuta picata, Lath. Ind. Om. Supp., p. 29. 
Pied Grakle, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 130. — lb. Gen. Hist., vol. iii. p. 169. 
Tanypus Australis, Oppel. 
Grallina melanoleuca, Vieill. Anal, d'une Nouv. Orn., pp. 42 and 68. — lb. Gal. des Ois., pi. 150. — lb. 2nde Edit. 
du Diet. d'Hist. Nat., torn. xiii. p. 41. pi. F. 32.— Ib. Ency. Meth. Orn., Part II. p. 693.— Vig. and 
Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 233. 
Grallina bicolor, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 233. 
Grallina Australis, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd Edit. p. 33. 
Grallina picata, Strickl. in Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. ii. p. 335. 
Corvus cyanoleucos, Lath. Gen. Hist. vol. iii. p. 49 ? 
Magpie Lark, Colonists of New South Wales. 
Little Magpie, Colonists of Swan River. 
BV-yoo-gool-yee-de, Aborigines of the lowland, and 
Dil-a-but, Aborigines of the mountain districts of Western Australia. 
Future research will, in all probability, establish the fact of this bird being' universally dispersed over the 
greater portion of Australia ; I have specimens in my collection from New South Wales, Swan River, and 
Port Essington, all of which are so closely alike that no character of sufficient importance to establish a 
second species can be detected. Those that came under my observation in New South Wales were never 
seen very near the coast, but frequented the rich alluvial flats and sides of the creeks and rivulets of the 
interior. 
Few of the Australian birds are more attractive than the present, or more elegant and graceful in its 
actions, and these, combined with its tame and familiar disposition, must ever obtain for it the friendship 
and protection of the settlers, whose verandahs and house-tops it constantly visits, running along the latter 
like the Pied Wagtail of our own island ; in fact, the two birds, except in size, are very similar. Mr. 
Gilbert states that in Western Australia he observed it congregated in large families on the banks and 
muddy flats of the lakes around Perth, while in the interior he only met with it in pairs, or at most in small 
groups of not more than four or five together ; he further observes, that at Port Essington, on the north 
coast, it would seem to be only an occasional visitant, for on his arrival there in July it was tolerably 
abundant round the lakes and swamps, but from the setting-in of the rainy season in November to his 
leaving that part of the country in the following March not an individual was to be seen ; it is evident 
therefore that the bird removes from one locality to another according to the season and the more or less 
abundance of its peculiar food. I believe it feeds solely upon insects of various kinds, particularly aquatic 
grubs, grasshoppers, and coleoptera generally. 
The flight of the Grallina is very peculiar, and unlike that of any other Australian bird that has come under 
my notice ; it much resembles that of the Common Pewit of Europe, and is performed with the same heavy 
flapping motion of the wings ; still the flight of the two birds differs materially during their passage 
through the air, the Grallina passing noiselessly and generally in a straight line, while the Pewit makes 
sudden turns and dips, — a peculiarity in its mode of flight which must have been noticed by all who have 
seen the bird on the wing. 
Its natural note is a peculiarly shrill whining whistle often repeated. 
The nest may be regarded as one of the anomalies of Australia, so unlike is it to anything usually met with ; 
it is from five to six inches in breadth and three in depth, and is formed of soft mud, which soon becoming 
hard and solid upon exposure to the atmosphere has precisely the appearance of a massive clay-coloured 
earthenware vessel ; as if to attract notice, this singular structure is generally placed on some bare horizontal 
branch, often on the one most exposed to view, sometimes overhanging water and at others in the open 
forest. The colour of the nest varies with that of the material of which it is formed : sometimes the clay 
or mud is sufficiently tenacious to be used without any other material, but in those situations where no mud 
or clay is to be obtained it is constructed of black or brown mould ; the bird, appearing to be aware that 
this substance will not hold together for want of the adhesive quality of the clay, mixes with it a great quan- 
tity of dried grass, stalks, &c, and thus forms a firm and hard exterior, the inside of which is slightly 
lined with dried grasses and a few feathers. The eggs differ considerably in colour and in shape, some being 
