THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Some of these mud nests collected have been nearly 10 pounds in weight. Dimensions 
over all, 9 to 11 inches across by 6 to 7 inches in depth. Egg cavity, 7 to 8 inches 
across by 3 to nearly 4 inches deep. It is a very conspicuous nest, and is generally 
built upon the horizontal limb of a forest tree at heights varjing from 18 to nearly 
60 feet. 
Breeding-months. August to December. 
On account of its Chough-like bill, first described by Vieillot and independently 
by Temminck, both placed it with the Choughs; Lesson, however, made 
a distinct genus for it. The first field-notes appear to be those published by 
Vigors and Horsfield, who quoted: “ ‘ This bird,’ IVIr. Caley observes in his 
Notes, ‘ is called Wayhung by the natives. They tell me it begins its nest 
by laying two sticks in a parallel manner; it then builds it up with mud or 
clay, and lines it with a few feathers. It is gregarious, and seems to prefer 
elevated situations, or such as command a prospect of the country. I cannot 
consider it as migratory.’ ” 
Gould’s notes are very good, as follows: “ This bird is distributed over 
all parts of New South Wales and South Australia; it is very abundant in the 
whole of the Upper Hunter distriet; I killed it in the interior of South 
Australia, and ]\Ir. Elsey met with it at the edge of a dense scrub on the 
Burdekin in latitude 19° 30" S. It usually occurs in small troops of from six 
to ten in number, feeding upon the ground, over which it runs with considerable 
rapidity. In disposition it is extremely tame, readily admitting of a very 
close approach, and then merely fiying off to the low branch of some neighbouring 
tree. During flight the white markings of the wing show very conspicuously, 
and on alighting the bird displays many curious actions, leaping from branch 
to branch with surprising quickness, at the same time spreading the tail and 
moving it up and down in a very singular manner ; on being disturbed it peeps 
and pries down upon the intruder below, and generally utters a harsh, grating, 
disagreeable and tart note ; at other times, while perched among the branches 
of the trees, it makes the woods ring Avdth its peculiar, soft, low, very pleasing, 
but mournful pipe. Durhig the pairing-season the male becomes very animated, 
and his manners so remarkable, that it would be necessary for my readers to 
witness the bird in its native vdlds to form a just conception of them; while 
sitting on the same branch close to the female, he spreads out his wings and 
tail to the fullest extent, lowers his head, puffs out his feathers and displays 
himself to the utmost advantage, and when two or more are engaged in these 
evolutions the exhibition cannot fail to amuse and delight the spectator. A 
winged specimen gave me more trouble to catch than any other bird I ever 
chased, its power of passing over the ground being so great that it bounded 
on before me and cleared every obstacle, hillocks, and fallen trees, vuth the 
116 
