_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
STREPERA ANAPHONENSIS.
Grey Crow-Shrike.
_Barita Anaphonensis_, Temm. Pl. Col.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 345,
Atlas, pl. 47. fig. 1.
_Strepera plumbea_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XIV. p. 20.
_Dje-läak_, Aborigines of Western Australia.
_Squeaker_, of the Colonists.
Having formerly considered the Grey Crow-Shrikes of New South Wales and
Western Australia as distinct species, I assigned to the Swan River bird
the specific appellation of _plumbea_; subsequent research has, however,
proved them to be identical: I am therefore under the necessity of
adopting the name of _Anaphonensis_, previously applied to the species
by my friend M. Temminck, and of sinking that of _plumbea_ into a
synonym.
No one species of the genus has so wide a range as the present,
extending as it does from New South Wales on the east to Swan River on
the west coast. It is, however, more local in its habitat than any of
them, at least such is the case in New South Wales; for although it is
tolerably abundant at Illawarra, at Camden, and in the park of C.
Throsby, Esq., at Bong-bong, it was not seen in any other district that
I visited. Mr. Gilbert states that he observed it in every part of
Western Australia visited by him; and that he mostly met with it in the
thickly wooded forests, singly or in pairs, feeding on the ground with a
gait and manners very much resembling the Common Crow. Its flight is
easy and long-sustained, and it occasionally mounts to a considerable
height in the air.
Its note is a piercing shriek, very much resembling in sound the native
name.
The stomach is very muscular, and the food consists of coleoptera and
the larvæ of insects of various kinds.
It breeds in the latter part of September and the beginning of October,
forming a nest of dried sticks in the thickest part of the foliage of a
gum- or mahogany-tree and laying three eggs, the ground-colour of which
is either reddish buff or wood-brown, marked over nearly the whole of
the surface with blotches of a darker tint; their medium length is one
inch and nine lines by one inch and two and a half lines broad.
The sexes resemble each other so closely in colour, that it is
impossible to distinguish the one from the other, except by dissection.
All the upper surface leaden grey, becoming much darker on the forehead
and lores; wings black; secondaries margined with grey and tipped with
white; basal half of the inner webs of the primaries white, of the outer
webs grey; the remainder of their length black, slightly tipped with
white; tail black, margined with grey and largely tipped with white; all
the under surface greyish brown; under tail-coverts white; irides
orange; bill and feet black.
The figure represents a male of the natural size.
[Illustration:
GYMNORHINA TIBICEN: _G. R. Gray_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
GYMNORHINA TIBICEN.
Piping Crow-Shrike.
_Coracias Tibicen_, Lath. Ind. Orn., Supp., xxvii.—Shaw, Gen. Zool.,
vol. vii. p. 405.
_Barita Tibicen_, Temm. Man., part i. p. li.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p.
345.
_Piping Roller_, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iii. p. 86. no. 23.
_Cracticus Tibicen_, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p.
260.—Gould, Syn, Birds of Australia, Part I.
_Gymnorhina Tibicen_, G. R. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd edit. p.
50.
_Ca-ruck_, Aborigines of New South Wales.
This species is universally diffused over the colony of New South Wales,
to which part of the Australian continent I believe its habitat to be
confined. It is true that a bird of this genus inhabits the
neighbourhood of Swan River, whose size and style of plumage is very
similar, but which I have little doubt will prove to be distinct. In
fact, from what we see in other instances, it is natural to expect that
there would be a species of this genus on the western as well as on the
eastern side of the country, and that they would, as representatives of
each other, be very nearly allied; I shall therefore consider the
habitat of the present bird to be restricted to New South Wales until I
have further proofs to the contrary.
The _Gymnorhina Tibicen_ is a bold and showy bird, which, when not
harassed and driven away, greatly enlivens and ornaments the lawns and
gardens of the colonists by its presence, and with the slightest
protection from molestation becomes so tame and familiar that it
approaches close to their dwellings, and perches round them and the
stock yards in small families of from six to ten in number. Nor is its
morning carol less amusing and attractive than its pied and strongly
contrasted plumage is pleasing to the eye. To describe the notes of this
bird is beyond the power of my pen, and it is a source of regret to
myself that my readers cannot, as I have done, listen to them in their
native wilds, or that the bird is not introduced into this country in
sufficient numbers for it to become generally known; a more amusing and
easily-kept denizen for the aviary could not be selected. As it dwells
in New South Wales all the year round, breeds upon the trees bordering
the cleared lands, and constructs a nest as large and conspicuous as
that of the Crow of our own island, there can be no difficulty in
procuring as many young ones as might be desired; and I trust,
therefore, that whenever opportunities occur for sending living examples
to England they will not be neglected.
Cleared lands, open flats and plains skirted by belts of trees are its
favourite localities, hence the interior of the country is more
favourable to its habits than the neighbourhood of the coast.
It lives almost entirely on insects, which are generally procured on the
ground, and the number of locusts and grasshoppers it devours is
immense. In captivity it subsists upon animal food of almost every kind,
and that berries and fruits would be equally acceptable I have but
little doubt.
The breeding-season commences in August and lasts until January, during
which period two broods are generally reared by each pair of birds. The
nest is round, deep and open, composed outwardly of sticks, leaves,
wool, &c., and lined with any finer materials that may be at hand. The
eggs are either three or four in number; their colour and size I regret
to say I cannot give, having unfortunately neglected to procure them
while in New South Wales. Of two other and much rarer species I possess
the eggs; and although I might from analogy proceed to describe those of
the present bird from them, I refrain from so doing.
The young assume the plumage of the adult from the nest, and no change
takes place from age or season.
Crown of the head, cheeks, throat, back, all the under surface,
scapularies, secondaries, primaries and tips of the tail-feathers black;
wing-coverts, nape of the neck, upper and under tail-coverts, and base
of the tail-feathers white; bill bluish ash-colour at the base, passing
into black at the tip; irides rich reddish hazel; legs black.
The Plate represents the male and female, with the nest, rather less
than the natural size.
[Illustration:
GYMNORHINA LEUCONOTA: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _C. Hullmandel Imp._
]
GYMNORHINA LEUCONOTA, _Gould_.
White-backed Crow-Shrike.
_Barita Tibicen_, Quoy et Gaim. Voy. de la Coq., pl. 20.—Less. Traité
d’Orn., p. 345.
_Goor̈e-bat_, Aborigines of the lowland districts of Western
Australia.
This fine species of _Gymnorhina_, which has been confounded by the
French writers with the _G. Tibicen_, inhabits South Australia, and
extends its range as far to the eastward as the colony of New South
Wales. I hear that it is tolerably abundant at Port Philip, and that it
is sometimes seen on the plains near Yass. For my own part I have never
met with it in New South Wales, but observed it to be rather abundant in
South Australia. In the extreme shyness of its disposition it presents a
remarkable contrast to the _G. Tibicen_; it was indeed so wary and so
difficult to approach, that it required the utmost ingenuity to obtain a
sufficient number of specimens necessary for my purpose. Plain and open
hilly parts of the country are the localities it prefers, where it
dwells much on the ground, feeding upon locusts and other insects. In
size it is fully as large as any species of the genus yet discovered; it
runs over the ground with great facility, and the long flights it
frequently takes across the plains from one belt of trees to another,
indicated greater powers of flight than is possessed by its near allies;
in other parts of its economy it so nearly resembles the _G. Tibicen_,
that it would be useless to repeat a description of them here. The same
single note and early carol of small companies perched on some leafless
branch of a _Eucalyptus_ appears characteristic of all the members of
the genus.
It breeds in September and October, constructing a nest of dried sticks
in an upright fork of a gum- or mahogany-tree. The eggs are three in
number, very long in form, and of a dull bluish white, in some instances
tinged with red, marked with large bold blotches or zigzag streakings of
brownish red or light chestnut; the average length of the eggs is one
inch and eight lines, and breadth one inch and one line. Occasionally
eggs are met with which are spotted with black or umber-brown.
The sexes when fully adult present no other outward difference than the
larger size of the female. Immature birds of both sexes have the whole
of the back clouded with grey, and the bill of a less pure ash-colour.
Back of the neck, back, upper and under coverts of the wings, basal
portion of the spurious wing, upper and under tail-coverts, and base of
the tail-feathers white; remainder of the plumage and the shafts of the
white portion of the tail-feathers glossy black; irides light hazel;
bill bluish lilac-purple, passing into black at the tip; legs and feet
blackish grey.
The Plate represents the two sexes rather less than the size of life.
[Illustration:
GYMNORHINA ORGANICUM: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
GYMNORHINA ORGANICUM, _Gould_.
Tasmanian Crow-Shrike.
_Cracticus hypoleucus_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part IV. p. 106;
and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.
_Organ-Bird_ and _White Magpie_ of the Colonists.
This animated and elegant bird is a native of Van Diemen’s Land, and
appears to be very local in its habitat, for while it is never found
below Austin’s Ferry on the southern bank of the river Derwent, it is
very plentiful on the opposite side and in the interior of the country,
particularly on the salt-pan plains, which would be dreary indeed were
they not enlivened by the presence of this amusing bird, the Miners
(_Myzanthæ_), and the Rose Hill Parrakeet. It is also to be met with in
all the open parts of the country, in small troops of from six to twelve
or more in number; but I did not observe it on the banks of the Tamar,
and it certainly does not inhabit Flinders’ Island. It runs, and
occasionally hops, over the surface with great quickness, but flies
rather slowly, and upon alighting on a branch raises and closes one wing
several times in quick succession, and in a very peculiar manner. When
on the plains it utters a loud ringing call, but when perched on the
dead branches of the trees soon after day-break, it pours forth a
succession of notes of the strangest description that can be imagined,
much resembling the sounds of a hand-organ out of tune, which has
obtained for it the colonial name of the Organ-Bird. It is very easily
tamed; and as it possesses the power of imitation in an extraordinary
degree, it may be readily taught to whistle various tunes as well as to
articulate words; it consequently soon becomes a most amusing as well as
ornamental bird for the aviary or cage. The stomach is very muscular,
and the food consists of insects of various kinds, grubs, caterpillars,
&c., which are procured on the ground.
A nest I found was placed among the topmost branches of a high gum-tree,
was round, cup-shaped, and outwardly constructed of sticks interspersed
with strips of bark, short grasses, and tufts of a species of swamp
grass, to which succeeded an internal lining of coarse grass, which
again was lined with the inner bark of the stringy bark-tree, sheep’s
wool and a few feathers, felted together and forming a dense and warm
receptacle for the eggs; it was about ten inches in diameter, and about
four or five inches in depth.
The eggs were four in number, of a lengthened form with a ground-colour
of greenish ashy grey, spotted and blotched, particularly at the larger
end, with umber-brown and bluish grey, the latter colour appearing as if
beneath the surface of the shell; they were one inch and five lines long
by one inch broad. The young assume the adult livery from the nest, and
appear to keep in company of the parent birds during the first ten
months of their existence.
The male has the crown of the head, cheeks, throat, all the under
surface, scapularies, primaries and tips of the tail jet-black; nape of
the neck, back, upper and under tail-coverts, and base of the
tail-feathers white; bill dark lead-colour at the base, passing into
black at the tip; legs black; irides bright hazel.
The female differs in having the nape of the neck and back grey, and the
primaries and tips of the tail-feathers brownish black.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
[Illustration:
CRACTICUS NIGROGULARIS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
CRACTICUS NIGROGULARIS, _Gould_.
Black-throated Crow-Shrike.
_Vanga nigrogularis_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V.; and in
Syn. Birds of Australia, Part I.
_Cracticus varius_, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 261.
The Black-throated Crow-Shrike finds a natural asylum in New South
Wales, the only one of the Australian colonies in which it has yet been
found, and where it is by no means rare, although the situations it
affects render it somewhat local; it is a stationary species, breeding
in all parts of the country suitable to its habits and mode of life;
districts of rich land known as apple-tree flats, and low open
undulating hills studded with large trees, are the kind of districts to
which it peculiarly resorts: hence the cow-pastures at Camden, the fine
park-like estate of Charles Throsby, Esq., at Bong-bong, and the entire
district of the Upper Hunter, are among the localities in which it may
always be found.
It is usually seen in pairs, and from its active habits and conspicuous
pied plumage, forms a rather striking object among the trees, the lower
and outspreading branches of which are much more frequented by it than
the higher ones; from these lower branches it often descends to the
ground in search of insects and small lizards, which however form but a
portion of its food, for as its powerful and strongly-hooked bill would
lead us to infer, prey of a more formidable kind is often resorted to;
its sanguinary disposition, in fact, leads it to feed on young birds,
mice, and other small quadrupeds, which it soon kills, tears piecemeal
and devours on the spot; wounded individuals on being handled inflict
severe blows and lacerations on the hands of the captor, unless great
care be taken to avoid them.
The nest, which is rather large and round, is very similar to that of
the European Jay; those I examined were outwardly composed of sticks,
neatly lined with fine fibrous roots, and generally placed on a low
horizontal branch among the thick foliage.
The eggs are dark yellowish brown, spotted and clouded with markings of
a darker hue, and in some instances with a few minute spots of black;
their medium length is one inch and three lines by eleven lines in
breadth.
The breeding-season commences in August, and continues during the four
following months.
The sexes are so precisely alike in colouring, that although on
comparison the female is found to be rather less than the male in all
her admeasurements, they can only be distinguished with certainty by
dissection.
Head, neck and chest black; hinder part of the neck, shoulders, centre
of the wing, rump and under surface white; two middle tail-feathers
entirely black, the remainder black largely tipped with white; bill
lead-colour at the base, black at the tip; legs black; irides brown.
The young during the first autumn are very different from the adult,
particularly in the colouring of the head and chest, which is light
brown instead of black; the bill, as in most youthful birds, is also
very different, the basal portion being dark fleshy brown instead of
lead-colour.
The Plate represents a male and female of the natural size.
[Illustration:
CRACTICUS PICATUS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
CRACTICUS PICATUS.
Pied Crow-Shrike.
_Cracticus picatus_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., February 22, 1848.
_Ka-ra-a-ra_, Aborigines of Port Essington.
_Magpie_, of the Colonists.
This is in every respect a miniature representative of the _Cracticus
nigrogularis_ of New South Wales; it must, however, be regarded as a
distinct species; its much more diminutive size will warrant such a
conclusion from every ornithologist who compares them.
It was found at Port Essington by Mr. Gilbert, where it exists in
considerable abundance. He states that it is an extremely shy and wary
bird, inhabiting the most secluded parts of the forest, and is as
frequently seen searching for its food on the ground as among the
topmost branches of the highest trees. In its habits, manners, mode of
flight, and in its loud, discordant, organ-pipe-like voice, it closely
resembles the other members of the genus. It is usually seen in pairs,
or in small families of four or five. Its nest is built of sticks in the
upright fork of a thickly-foliaged tree, at about thirty or forty feet
from the ground.
The stomach is muscular, and the food consists of insects of various
kinds, but principally of coleoptera.
The sexes are not to be distinguished by any markings in the plumage,
but the young are dressed in a brown colouring like those of the other
members of the genus.
Collar at the back of the neck, centre and edge of the wing, rump,
abdomen, under tail-coverts and tips of all but the centre tail-feathers
white, remainder of the plumage deep black; irides dark reddish brown;
bill ash-grey, the tip black; legs and feet dark greenish grey.
The Plate represents the two sexes of the natural size.
[Illustration:
CRACTICUS ARGENTEUS: _Gould_.
_J. Gould and H. C. Richter del et lith._ _Hullmandel & Walton Imp._
]
CRACTICUS ARGENTEUS, _Gould_.
Silvery-backed Butcher-Bird.
_Cracticus argenteus_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p.
126.
Examples of this new species were discovered on the north coast of
Australia, both by Captain Grey and B. Bynoe, Esq., to the latter of
whom I am indebted for one of the specimens from which my figures were
taken.
The _Cracticus argenteus_ is directly intermediate in size between
_Cracticus destructor_ and _Cracticus nigrogularis_, and moreover
exhibits a remarkable participation in the colouring of those two
species; having the white throat and chest of the former, and the
parti-coloured wings, conspicuous white rump, and white-tipped tail of
the latter; it differs, however, from both, as well as from all the
other members of the genus, in the light or silvery grey colouring of
the back, and hence the term of _argenteus_ has been applied to it.
No account of its habits has yet been received, but they doubtless
resemble those of the other species of the genus.
Crown of the head, ear-coverts, shoulders, primaries, and all the
tail-feathers for three-fourths of their length from the base, black;
back silvery grey; throat, all the under surface, sides of the neck,
some of the wing-coverts and the margins of several of the secondaries,
rump, and tips of the tail-feathers pure white; bill horn-colour; feet
blackish brown.
The figures are of the natural size.
[Illustration: