THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Ford has recorded : “ The Magpie-Lark takes spells at sitting on eggs at 
twenty to thirty minute intervals. When a bird has had its spell it flies up 
and stands beside nest ; other gets off and flies away, and former takes its 
place. This is done all day.” 
Gubanyi observes on the Kiverina, New South Wales : “ Seen all over the 
country at all seasons ; but during autumn the farmyard and the garden are 
its favourite hunting grounds. It feeds chiefly on insects, but occasionally 
picks up seeds and grains. The poisoned wheat laid out in the garden for 
the destruction of Sparrows frequently brings about the death of this useful 
and graceful bird.” 
Le Souef and Macpherson, writing about the birds of Sydney, whence 
all the earlier specimens were described one hundred and twenty years ago, and 
hence their notes have a special interest to-day, stated “ The Magpie-Lark is 
numerous throughout the city and suburbs, and will often be seen in small 
flocks walking over lawns and open spaces, searching for food among the grass. 
They like to roost in special places, and fairly large flocks wend their way home- 
ward in the evening, making for the more outlying wooded areas. The Victorian 
aboriginals called this bird ‘ Gean-Gean.’ ” 
H. L. White has recorded McLennan’s notes from Arnhem Land, “ Pera 
Head. Seen about the swamp. Mornington Island. Fairly numerous about 
mission station. Cape Barrow. A few seen. Goyder River. A few birds 
seen. Glyde River. A few birds seen. Liverpool River. A few birds seen. 
King River. Often met with until the first week in November, then they all 
disappeared. Roper River. Fairly numerous. Marie Island. A few birds 
seen. Stomach, remains of beetles and grasshoppers.” 
Maegillivray has written : “ Common throughout the Gulf Country, but 
only occasional at Cape York. . . Mr. McLennan saw big flocks of Magpie- 
Larks on the burnt country on the Archer River in June, 1914 ” while Vidgen 
includes it as a regular migrant at Cape York. 
Milligan wrote of the Stirling Range bird “ A few' birds were observed in 
the 4 jam ’ country and Toll’s Creek. They were not plentiful in any part of 
Western Australia that I have visited. They have a call not familiar to me. 
The ‘ pee- wit ’ call of the Victorian and Queensland bird is not used frequently.” 
A. S. Le Souef has recorded : “In countries where ticks are endemic 
certain birds have specialised in feeding on them, notably the Ox-bird ( Textor ), 
Cattle-pecker ( Buphaga ) and the Cattle-Heron ( Bubulcus ). These birds play 
an important part in keeping the wild animals in Africa and India free from 
ticks. Although there are native ticks in Australia, they are chiefly found 
on nocturnal animals and reptiles, and no birds could feed on them, and so it is 
most interesting to note that since the introduction of the cattle-tick into 
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