THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
other known member of the genus. It is most nearly allied to A. albiventris , 
but differs from that bird in the jet-black colouring of its under tail-coverts, 
and from A . cinereus in its smaller size and the greater extent of the black 
on the face.” The specimen from which the above description was taken 
has been kindly sent to me by Mr. S. White, of the Reed Beds, near Adelaide, 
South Australia, who informs me that it was shot by him at St. a Becket’s 
Pool, lat. 23° 30', on the 23rd of August, 1863, and who, in the notes accom- 
panying it, says, “ I have never seen this bird south. It collects at night 
like A. sordidus, and utters the same kind of call. It seems to be plentiful 
all over the north country, and particularly about Chamber’s Creek and 
Mount Margaret. It feeds on the ground, soars high in the air, and clings 
in bunches like the others. The tw r o sexes appear to be very similar in 
outward appearance, but the young are much speckled with dusky brown, 
particularly on the back.” 
Captain S. A. White, the son of the aforementioned Mr. S. White, has 
-written me, “ I have found this a common bird in the interior and from my 
observations have formed the idea that it is a more local bird than other 
members of the family, that is, it never makes big concentrated movements 
after food and I have never seen it on the coastal belt ; about 100 miles from 
Adelaide seems its limit. Its habits seem very like those of other members 
of the family with the exception that I do not think the bird takes the long 
and high flights that other species do. Yet I am of the opinion that like 
other birds this species must have moved slowly south of late years, otherwise 
my father would not have had to go so far north before discovering it, seeing 
that he worked the country in many directions for 300 miles out from. 
Adelaide. It does not nest in colonies like the preceding species. The nest 
is often much more compact and more pains taken in building, and I have 
often seen it decorated with small flower heads.” 
Under the name “ Artamus cinereus Vieillot,” Gould had written : 
“ This bird exceeds in size all the other Australian Wood-Swallows. Its 
large tail, most of the feathers of which are broadly tipped with wdiite, as 
w r ell as the colouring of its plumage, at once point out its close affinity to 
the Artamus sordidus and A. minor . In Western Australia it is a very 
local but by no means an uncommon species, particularly at Sw ? an River, 
wffiere it inhabits the limestone hills near" the coast, and the “ Clear 
Hills ” of the interior, assembling in small families, and feeding upon 
the seeds of the Xanthorrhcea , which proves that insects do not form 
the sole diet of this species ; with such avidity, in fact, does it devour 
the ripe seeds of this grass-tree, that several birds may frequently be 
seen crowded together on the perpendicular seed-stalks of this plant 
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