THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
spring mornings seen these birds ‘ bunch ’ together, forming a large 
black ball round the bough of some lofty gum tree. I think they 
probably hang in these bunch-like masses for warmth ; I have 
watched the bunch break up and it only takes a very few moments 
for the whole of the birds to be on the wing.” 
Mr. F. E. Howe has sent me the following note : “ The Wood-Swallow 
is very plentiful and may be met with at all times of the year. They begin 
to nest in September and eggs and young can be seen as late as 
January. At Ringwood, on Sept. 28th, 1907, in company with Messrs. 
Ross and Mattingby, a flock of about sixty birds were hanging in a 
big bunch in an elbow of a tree. This is the second time I have 
noticed this peculiarity and the position chosen was identical. Nests 
are to be found in every conceivable position and at heights varying from 
two to thirty feet. One pair had chosen an old nest of the Grallina. The 
young are born blind and are clothed in grey down. The bill and feet are 
black and the gape and mouth yellow. Mr. Ross secured one that had 
recently left the nest. The head, back and underparts were of a dark grey 
strecked with light rufous ; the shoulder was white, the first primaries 
were dark grey, but in the next two the outer edge is white. Upper tail- 
coverts very dark as were also the under tail-coverts, the lower half of which 
were white. During the breeding season the bird is very pugnacious, 
chasing all and sundry that approach the site of the nest. The food is 
generally obtained on the wing, but they not infrequently alight on the ground 
to seize it. At Ringwood a nest contained three eggs that were chipping, 
and we concluded the female helped the embryo by chipping off tiny fragments 
of the shell.” 
Mr. L G. Chandler writes : “ This bird is common with us 
throughout the year. After the morning’s feed, a single bird, or a pair 
nestled together on a limb, may be heard singing softly and sweetly. I have 
noticed in December a dozen or more of these birds, young and old, 
roosting for the night in a bunch on the side of a tree. In the autumn 
and winter months when they are generally seen in flocks they 
appear to have a leader, who directs them in certain things. One 
morning in March, when the clouds looked dark and threatening, I 
was interested in a small flock which were feeding close to the 
ground. They usually chose a branch or stump, and darting out to 
catch a passing insect return to the same spot with a graceful soar 
and rapid flaps. When perched the tail is worked with a perpendicular 
and horizontal motion. Suddenly the birds flew* into a neighbouring 
tree, where they remained for a while, with an occasional individual 
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