. Companion to Gould's Handbook; or, Synopsis of the birds of Australia. Containing nearly one-third of the whole, or about 220 examples, for the most part from the original drawings . frequents thedense scrubs and brushes, particularly the open spots, and may generally be observed sitting on a creeper or dead branch watching forinsects, and uttering its peculiar cry, which is a harsh shrill whistle twice or thrice repeated, resembling the syllables wheet wheet, at whichtime it raises its tail perpendicularly with a jerk. Like many other species of kingfisher, it has the peculiar habit of incu
. Companion to Gould's Handbook; or, Synopsis of the birds of Australia. Containing nearly one-third of the whole, or about 220 examples, for the most part from the original drawings . frequents thedense scrubs and brushes, particularly the open spots, and may generally be observed sitting on a creeper or dead branch watching forinsects, and uttering its peculiar cry, which is a harsh shrill whistle twice or thrice repeated, resembling the syllables wheet wheet, at whichtime it raises its tail perpendicularly with a jerk. Like many other species of kingfisher, it has the peculiar habit of incubating in the clay-built structures of the white ant, not being very particular whether the same be on a tree or on the ground, but very frequently at the footof a rotten stump, where these nests often occur. A hole is made completely through from side to side, and a small excavation or hollow inthe middle serves for the reception of the eggs, no nest being made. The eggs are three, and sometimes four, in number, nearly round, andof a pure white. The newly-fledged young make their appearance early in January, and do not acquire the long tail feathers until after thefirst I. ARTAMUS SORDIDUS V7oo(jl owraj lovi/ 2. 5. A . LEUCOPVCIMIS ¥hiU VV^J w eillow VJ Kite ^^uw^^>2 Vi . Swallow ARTAMUS SORDIDUS. (Wood Swallow.) Head, neck, and body, dark sooty brown; wings, deep bluish black; the outer edges of the second, third, and fourth primaries, white; th(two central feathers of the tail, bluish black—the remainder, the same, but largely tipped with white; irides, dark brown ; bill, blue, tippedwith black ; feet, lead color. The sexes are alike. Length, 7 inches ; wing, 5 ; tail, 3 ; bill, i ; tarsus, f. This species of Wood Swallow is found in the southern parts of Queensland, but is not very common, being found much moreplentifully in New South Wales and the southern portions of the continent. It also occurs in Western Australia. In Tasmania i
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidcompanio, booksubjectbirds
