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THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 123 
the rest in the neighbourhood. The Rose Breasted Cockatoo 
(Cacatua roseicapilla) is also very common, and is generally 
to be seen in flocks on the ground foraging for grass seeds, 
which constitute its chief food. These birds are just beginning 
to pair off for nesting. Of the family Psittacidae, or parrots, 
the Rosella (Platycercus eximius) is to be seen occasionally, 
while the Red-backed Parrot (Psephotus haematonotus) is easily 
the commonest of them. They are to be seen feeding on the 
grass, or among the gum trees, generally in flocks, but some- 
times in pairs. I observed the Grass Parrot (Neophema elegans) 
on one occasion. 
The order Coraciiformes is represented in the family Alee- 
dinidae by the Laughing Kingfisher (Dacelo gigas), whose merry 
laugh is to be heard regularly in the mornings and evenings. 
Another bird of infrequent occurrence is the Pallid Cuckoo 
(Cuculus inornatus), order Coceyges, which I have only seen 
once. 
We now come to the large order Passeriformes, or Perching 
birds. In this order the family Hirundinidae, Swallows and 
Martins, is well represented. The weleome Swallow (Chelidon 
neoxena) is quite common. A pair at present have half con- 
structed their mud nest on our hut. They are quite tame; in 
fact one can almost touch them before they will take to flight. 
The Tree Martin (Petrochelidon nigricans) is very common, and 
is easily distinguished from the ordinary swallow while in flight 
by the whitish rump, but when at rest they are very similar. 
Now to come to the Muscicapidae, or Flycatchers. The well- 
known Jacky Winter, Australian Brown Flycatcher (Microeca . 
fascinans) is to be seen occasionally, but no Robins have come 
under my notice. The Restless Flycatcher (Seiswra inquieta) 
is a great friend of the stock and eattle, and is often seen 
upon, or hovering over their backs removing troublesome in- 
sects. 
About the most common bird here is the Grey-crowned Bab- 
bler (Pomatorhinus frivolus). The bird is very interesting to 
watch. It builds its nest of mediuin-sized twigs with an en- 
trance in the side on the end of a thin branch, but quite ex- 
posed to view; no attempt appears to be made to hide it in 
any way. These birds do not build every year, but return to 
their old nests, and patch them up. They are very pugnacious, 
and will attack anything that approaches. their nest. I even 
saw one attack and drive away a hawk which, unfortunstely, I 
