THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
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PLATE XXVII 
SOME BIRDS OF THE AIR AND OPEN SPACES 
1. Little Wood-swallow Artamus minor Vieillot 
Ar'-tani-us — Gk, artamos, butcher: mi -nor — L., minor , smaller. 
Distribution . — Australia (except the southern portion) ; also occurs 
in Timor. 
Notes. — Usually in pairs or small flocks, frequenting the plains, chiefly 
those studded with low trees ; also the rugged ranges of the interior and 
northern parts. This species is very similar in habits and economy to the 
Dusky Wood-swallow. 
Nest. — An open, cup-shaped structure of twigs and plant-stems, lined 
with rootlets ; placed in the end of a hollow limb, in a cavity in the trunk 
of a tree, or in clefts of cliffs. Often the nest consists only of a scanty 
lining of materials placed in a hollow. 
Eggs. — Usually three, dull white, spotted and blotched, chiefly at the 
larger end, with shades of brown and underlying markings of slaty-grey. 
Breeding-season : October to January. 
2. Dusky Wood-swallow Artamus cyanopterus Latham 
cy-an-op'-tcr-us — Gk, cyanos, blue; Gk, pteron, wing. 
Distribution. — Australia (except tropical northern Australia), Tas- 
mania, and the islands of Bass Strait. 
Notes. — Also called Sordid Wood-swallow, Martin, and Jacky Martin. 
Usually in pairs or flocks, frequenting the open spaces in forest country 
and partly cleared lands. It also frequents orchards and gardens, where 
it does an immense amount of good in destroying insect pests of various 
kinds. Like the other species of Wood-swallows, its flight is swift and 
graceful ; it has the habit of roosting clustered together, like a swarm of 
bees, on the limb of a tree, especially during very cold weather. Food : 
insects of various kinds, procured on the wing. 
Nest. — An open, cup-shaped structure, composed of thin, dried twigs ; 
lined with grasses, rootlets, and occasionally horse-hair. Usually placed 
in a thick forked branch of a tree, sometimes inside a projecting piece of 
bark on a tree trunk, or on top of a stump, at heights up to 40 feet or 
more from the ground. 
Eggs. — Three or four, white or creamy-white, spotted and blotched, 
chiefly at the larger end, with varying shades of brown, black, and grey 
markings, and often with well-defined zones. Breeding-season : September 
to January. 
