_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
STREPERA GRACULINA.
Pied Crow-Shrike.
_Réveilleur de l’Isle de Norfolk?_, Dand., tom. ii. p. 267.
_Corvus graculinus_ (White-vented Crow), White’s Bot. Bay, pl. in p.
251.
_Coracias strepera_, Lath. Ind. Orn., vol. i. p. 173.
_Corvus streperus_, Leach, Zool. Misc., vol. ii. pl. 86.
_Noisy Roller_, Lath. Gen. Syn., Supp., vol. ii. p. 121.
_Le Grand Calibé_, Le Vaill. Ois. de Par., &c., pl. 24.
_Cracticus streperus_, Vieill. Gal. des Ois., pl. 109.—Vig. and Horsf.
in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 261.
_Gracula strepera_, Shaw, Gen. Zool., vol. vii. p. 462.
_Barita strepera_, Temm. Man., part i. p. li.
_Coronica strepera_, Gould, Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.
_Strepera_, Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 329.
_Strepera graculina_, G. R. Gray, Gen. of Birds, 2nd Edit., p. 50.
This species was originally described and figured in White’s ‘Voyage to
New South Wales’: it is consequently the oldest and most familiarly
known member of the group to which it belongs. It is very generally
distributed over the colony of New South Wales, inhabiting alike the
brushes near the coast, those of the mountain ranges, and also the
forests of _Eucalypti_ which clothe the plains and more open country. As
a great part of its food consists of seeds, berries and fruits, it is
more arboreal in its habits than some of the other species of its group,
whose structure better adapts them for progression on the ground, and
whose food principally consists of insects and their larvæ. The habitat
of the present bird appears to be confined to the south-eastern portions
of the continent, where, as is the case with all birds whose range is so
limited, it is a stationary species, merely moving from one district to
another according to the season; at one time being more numerous on the
open coast, and at another among the brushes, as each may offer it a
greater variety or more abundant supply of food: the hilly portions of
the country intersected with deep ravines are, however, decidedly its
most congenial localities. Like the other members of the genus it is
mostly seen in small companies, varying from four to six in number,
seldom either singly or in pairs: I am not, however, inclined to
consider them as gregarious birds in the strict sense of the word,
believing as I do that each of these small companies is composed of a
pair and their progeny, which appear to keep together from the birth of
the latter until the natural impulse for pairing prompts them to
separate.
Their flight is very different from that of the Crow, (which they much
resemble in outward appearance) being much less protracted, and never of
an elevated character; its utmost extent is from one part of the forest
to another, or across a gully, in effecting which they sometimes pass
over the tops of the trees, while at others they accomplish the distance
by flitting from tree to tree. It is during flight that the markings of
this bird are displayed to the greatest advantage, the strong contrast
of its colours then rendering it a conspicuous object in the bush: while
on the wing also it frequently causes the woods to ring with its
peculiar noisy cry, by which its presence is often indicated when
otherwise it would not be seen. On the ground it hops over the surface
with the greatest facility.
The nest, which is usually constructed on the branches of low trees,
sometimes even on those of the _Casuarinæ_, is of a large size, round,
open, and cup-shaped, built of sticks and lined with moss and grasses;
the eggs, which I was not so fortunate as to procure, are generally
three or four in number.
The flesh of this species is frequently eaten by the colonists, and is
by some considered a delicacy.
Of all the species of this singular and well-defined genus, the present,
although not the largest in stature, is by far the handsomest, its
markings being more clearly defined and the tints of its plumage more
rich and contrasted than those of any of its congeners, the black being
as deep as jet, and the white pure and unspotted; it differs also from
all its allies yet discovered in having the basal half of the primaries
and the basal half and the tips of the tail-feathers together with those
portions of the shafts pure white.
The plumage of both sexes at all ages is so precisely similar, that by
dissection alone can we distinguish the male from his mate, or the young
from the adult; the female is, however, always a trifle less in all her
admeasurements, and the young birds have the corners of the mouth more
fleshy and of a brighter yellow than the adults.
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.
[Illustration:
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.
[Illustration:
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.
[Illustration: