THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 201 
branches at the intruder. The white spots on the wing-feath- 
ers help to give this bird a very handsome appearance as it 
flies from tree to tree. 
One of its calls sounds remarkably like “‘Here-you-are, 
Here-you-are,’’ and another like ‘‘Bai Jove, Bai Jove.” If 
one of the birds should be wounded, a large flock will gener- 
ally speedily congregate and will set up the latter call. 
This fine-looking bird is cordially hated by fruit growers on 
the uplands or on lands adjacent thereto. 
WuitE-Wincep Cuoucn (Corcorax melanorhamphus: This 
interesting bird I’have observed in many parts of the 
western country (from the Murray to the Parwon) and the 
Central Division of New South Wales. It appears to be par- 
ticularly abundant, however, in’the former. On account of 
the habit of banding together in small flocks, and, while doing 
so, incessantly chattering and whistling (a mournful down- 
scale whistle), it is often called “‘Happy Family”’ and ‘Twelve. 
Apostles’’—names which properly’ apply to other species. Be- 
cause of a certain suggestion of the Pied Bell-Magpie in its. 
appearance, it is frequently called “‘Black Magpie,’’ a term 
properly applied, though not recognised, as a good vernacular 
name to Strepera graculina. From the latter, however, it is 
always easily distinguished. It is much smaller, is a short- 
flight bird, has a much smaller and considerably-curved beak 
(that of the Pied Bell-Magpie being stout and straight), has 
large patches of white under each wing (on the outer half) 
and hops and flits from bough to bough in a way quite unlike 
any of the Bell-Magpies. In parts of Western New South 
Wales this bird is called the ““Black Jay,’’ or simply “‘Jay”’ 
(again somewhat loosely applied names). , 
This bird, while abundant on certain parts of the plain 
country, is found at considerable altitudes, and can put up. 
with very cold-conditions. I remember seeing a flock of these 
near Porcupine Hill, between Oberon and Jenolan, on a cold 
winter’s day in June last! At the time there were very few 
birds visible, as most of them had got down to the protection 
of the gullies, there being a cold, biting wind at the time of a 
temperature, as I found and felt, but little above freezing. 
I have seen the bird algo high up on the slopes of the Kosci- 
usko plateau (6000ft.). ; 
The White-winged Chough is interesting as being one of the 
few of our birds that build mud-nests. While being of a most 
harmless and non-destructive nature, this bird is of very 
quaint and interesting habits, Some time since I was greatly 
surprised to see a man with a gun “‘potting at’’ a flock of 
these in a tree a few miles out of Narrandera. , The poor birds 
