THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
they would flock into the plantations to roost during the autumn and 
winter nights in thousands. In some districts many years ago I remember 
this species was very destructive in orchards ; one fruit they strangely took a 
great liking to was walnuts and they never allowed one to ripen.” 
Mr. F. E. Howe has written me : “ The carol of this bird is usually the 
first bird note heard in the morning and nothing can be more delightful than 
to hear a party of four or five utter their joyous notes. It is a good friend to the 
orchardist in this district and they are always noticed patrolling the furrows 
between the trees. It nests later here, usually laying in October.” 
Mr. A. G. Campbell lias sent me a note : “ In the vicinity of Sunbury, 
Victoria, it is a feature of the evening to witness the Magpies coming to roost. 
By day they are out in parties scattered far and wide over the treeless basalt 
plains. V hen the sun goes down, reminding them of approaching night, 
they rise high on the wing to turn towards home. They appear to sail rather 
than fly, for their wings are not opened to their full extent and they move them 
but little. As each party comes to the edge of the gorge they rest for awhile 
on a stone wall or fence uttering their single whistling note. What a weird 
call this is as it travels over the plains ; few other birds can be heard so far. 
Then the party as they see another lot coming in behind take wing again and 
sail leisurely down into the timber, where they are greeted with joyous carols 
by their mates who have arrived earlier.” 
Mr. E. J. Christian states : “ This bird is savage, during breeding season, 
but not so fierce as G. tibicen .” 
Mr. Sandiand has written : “ Commonest bird, except the Crow, round 
Burra, South Australia, and ten miles east, but when one leaves the hills it 
is noticed that they thin out and their place is taken by G. tibicen. Have 
seen a few G. leuconota at Morgan on the Murray.” 
Mr. Edwin Ashby’s note reads : “ Common everywhere south of Peters- 
burg in South Australia and throughout Victoria. This was the species in 
the neighbourhood of Cooma, New South Whales, while so far as my observations 
went the black-backed form was the commonest round Yass in the same state 
in March, 1909.” 
Later he wrote : “ This is the familiar Magpie of the southern portions 
of the States of South Australia and Victoria. It is undoubtedly one of our 
most useful birds, keeping down, as it does, those forms of larvae that are most 
destructive to the roots of grass and other herbage. Undoubtedly they also 
take toll of small fledglings, but the good they do out-balances the harm. Their 
favourite nesting place is high up in some lofty gum. At the nesting season 
the parent birds are most pugnacious, swooping down on the intruder ; it is 
quite a common practice for them to knock off the caps from small boys’ 
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