THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
they use King Island to winter on, as it is said this form is never met with on 
the mainland. The Graucalus always flicks up first one wing, then the other, 
after alighting on a branch or fence, and the wings being rather long and pointed, 
make this action very noticeable.” 
Miss J. A. Fletcher has sent me the following note : “ While spending a 
holiday on the shores of Lake Lovell, Tasmania, I had a chance of watching 
a pair of Black-faced Graucalus at work. The nest at which they were working 
was high up in the flat fork of a white gum tree. Both birds worked, and 
occasionally one would arrive with a mouthful of material just as the other 
was leaving. Immediately the latter would return to the nest and start re- 
arranging what it had just placed, the other bird meanwhile sitting patiently 
on the limb near by until its contrary mate decided to leave. I saw the birds 
going up and down the cracks, forks and twigs of the trees hunting for 
cobwebs, so I concluded the nest was nearly finished.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor has also sent me some notes, in which he states: “It 
fives on large insects and grubs, also on berries, but does not attack the large 
fruit cultivated in the gardens. The nest is a very flimsy structure ; in fact, 
but for the bird sitting on it, one would pass it by unnoticed.” 
Mr. A. G. Campbell considers he “ can see no difference between birds 
shot in Southern Victoria about Port Phillip and the Tasmanian form.” 
Mr. Thos. P. Austin has forwarded me the following account : “ A 
common species throughout this district (Cobbora, New South Wales), and 
found in all classes of timbered country, but much more numerous during 
the warmer months of the year than the winter. Its flight is noticeable by 
first a few rapid wing beats, then for a short distance it floats through the 
air with closed wings, somewhat similar to a Platycercus eximius. As soon 
as it alights, it has a peculiar habit of slightly lifting its wings one after the 
other, repeated several times, giving one the impression that they had not 
folded comfortably. It is rather a nuisance in orchards, more especially vine- 
yards ; but it appears to gather most of its food amongst the leaves of large 
eucalyptus trees, and it is very seldom seen upon the ground. In many 
districts it is known by the names of Blue Jay or Summer-bird. Its note is 
musical and somewhat flutefike, nearly always uttered at short intervals 
during flight, but may also be heard while the bird is perched.” 
Mr. Tom Carter’s notes, made in Western Australia, read : “ The Black- 
faced Cuckoo-Shrike is generally distributed through West Australia. It 
is generally known as the 4 Blue Pigeon ’ by settlers. In the Gascoyne River 
and North-West Cape districts, the breeding-season is usually in July and 
August, the small flat nests being placed on the fork of a horizontal branch. 
On July 14, 1901, I climbed to a nest of Haliastur sphenurus in the top of a 
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