THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
insect food necessary for their subsistence. . . This Wood-Swallow must, 
I think, ever be a general favourite with the Australians, not only from its 
singular and pleasing actions, but from its often taking up its abode and 
incubating near the houses, particularly such as are surrounded by paddocks 
and open pasture lands skirted by large trees. It was in such situations 
in Tasmania that, at the commencement of spring, I first had an opportunity 
of observing this species ; it was then very numerous on all the cleared 
estates on the north side of the Derwent, about eight or ten being seen on 
a single tree, and half as many crowding one against another on the same 
dead branch, but never in such numbers as to deserve the appellation of 
flocks ; each bird appeared to act independently of the other ; each, as the 
desire for food prompted it, sallying forth from the branch to capture a 
passing insect, or to soar round the tree and return again to the same spot ; 
on alighting it repeatedly throws up one of its wings, and obliquely spreads 
its tail. At other times a few w r ere seen perched on the fence surrounding 
the paddocks, on which they frequently descended, like Starlings, in search 
of coleoptera and other insects. The form of the wing of the Artamus 
sordidus at once indicates that the air is its peculiar province ; hence 
it is, that when engaged in pursuit of the insects which the serenity 
and warmth of the weather have enticed from their lurking places 
among the foliage, to sport in higher regions, this species displays itself 
to the greatest advantage. But the greatest peculiarity in the habits 
of this bird is its manner of hanging together in clusters from the branch 
of a tree, like a swarm of bees.” 
Mr. T. P. Austin has written from Cobbora, New South Wales : “ The 
Wood-Swallow is a resident species in this district, but a little more 
numerous during the warmer months. Never met with in thick scrub ; 
preferring the open forests and ‘ ringbarked ’ country, sometimes met with 
in small flocks, but more often in pairs perched upon dead branches, stumps, 
fences, etc., from which perch they sally forth after any passing insect. 
While perched the tail is always swaying with a twist first to one side then 
to the other. They are also often found feeding on the ground. It is a 
very useful destroyer of insects. Although I have kept bees in my garden 
for many years, I have never known them to be troubled by any 
birds of the present family, yet I know they are very destructive at some 
apiaries. Only once have I seen them clustered like a swarm of bees, this 
one very cold afternoon in August, 1908, and just as a storm was 
approaching ; there appeared to be not more than a dozen birds, 
but when I disturbed them, I could see there must have been at 
least fifty. Their usual note is a very sharp twitter, but they also 
260 
