Part 25

All the plumage fine bluish black with the exception of the basal half of the primaries, the basal half and the tips of the tail-feathers, including those portions of their shafts and the under tail-coverts which are snow-white; irides beautiful yellow; bill and feet black.

STREPERA FULIGINOSA: Gould.

J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp. ]

STREPERA FULIGINOSA, Gould. Sooty Crow-Shrike.

Cracticus fuliginosus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part IV. p. 106.

Coronica fuliginosa, Gould in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.

Black Magpie, of the Colonists.

The great stronghold of this species is the island of Van Diemen’s Land, in which it is a permanent resident; but its range extends to the islands in Bass’s Straits, and a few individuals have been found in South Australia. Its browner colouring, more arched and gibbose bill, its smaller size, and the absence of the white colouring of the under tail-coverts and of the base of the primaries, are characters by which it may at once be distinguished from all the other members of the group. The localities it frequents are also of a different description, those preferred being low swampy grounds in the neighbourhood of the sea and woods bordering rivers. Like the other species of the genus, it subsists on insects and grubs of various kinds, to which pulpy seeds and berries are frequently added.

It is very active on the ground, running over the surface with a motion between a run and a hop with great rapidity.

It breeds in the low trees, constructing a large, deep and cup-shaped nest very similar to that of the European Crow, and lays three eggs, of a pale vinous brown marked all over with large irregular blotches of brown, one inch and five-eighths long by one inch and a quarter broad.

Its note is much less shrill than that of the Strepera arguta.

I have seen this bird in a state of captivity, and it appeared to bear confinement remarkably well.

The sexes present no visible difference except in size, the female being smaller than the male; they may be thus described:—

All the plumage sooty black, with the exception of the ends of the primaries and all but the two middle tail-feathers, which are white; irides bright yellow; bill and feet black.

The figures are of the natural size.

STREPERA ARGUTA: Gould.

J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp. ]

STREPERA ARGUTA, Gould. Hill Crow-Shrike.

Strepera arguta, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XIV. p. 19.

The Strepera arguta is abundantly dispersed over Van Diemen’s Land, but is more numerous in the central parts of the island than in the districts adjacent to the coast; it also inhabits South Australia, in which country it is more scarce, and all the specimens I have seen are rather smaller in size. I have never seen it in any part of New South Wales that I have visited, neither have specimens occurred in the numerous collections from the west coast that have come under my notice. It is the largest, the boldest and the most animated species of the genus yet discovered. If not strictly gregarious, it is often seen in small companies of from four to ten, and during the months of winter even a greater number are to be seen congregated together. The districts most suited to its habits are open glades in the forest and thinly-timbered hills: although it readily perches on the trees, its natural resort is the ground, for which its form is admirably adapted, and over which it passes with amazing rapidity, either in a succession of leaps or by running. Fruits being but sparingly diffused over Australia, insects necessarily constitute almost its sole food, and of these nearly every order inhabiting the surface of the ground forms part of its diet. It devours grasshoppers with great avidity, and as these insects are ever most abundant, the one would appear to be formed for the sustenance of the other.

Its note is a loud ringing and very peculiar sound, somewhat resembling the words clink, clink, several times repeated, and strongly reminded me of the distant sound of the strokes on a blacksmith’s anvil; and hence the term arguta appeared to me to be an appropriate specific appellation for this new species.

All the nests I found of this species either contained young birds or were without eggs; I am consequently unable to give their size and colour. The nest, which is of a large size, is generally placed on a horizontal branch of a low tree; it is round, deep and cup-shaped, outwardly formed of sticks and lined with fibrous roots and other fine materials.

The sexes present no external difference whatever, neither is there much difference in size; the young are black from the nest, except that the tertiary feathers are strongly tipped with white, a character never I believe thrown off in adult age.

All the plumage brownish black, becoming much browner on the tips of the wing-feathers, and of a grey tint on the abdomen; base of the inner webs of the primaries and secondaries, the under tail-coverts and the apical third of the inner webs of the tail-feathers white; irides orange-yellow; bill and feet black; corner of the mouth yellow.

The Plate represents the bird about four-fifths of the size of life.

STREPERA ANAPHONENSIS.

J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith. Hullmandel & Walton Imp. ]

STREPERA ANAPHONENSIS. Grey Crow-Shrike.