Ni-SIS A.\'l> EiiGS 01 AVSTHALIAN BIRDS. 5; 



to error, siuce it is stated that both species have been found at times with 

 white eyes. The only and sure method is by iiandhng tlie birds and 

 deciding by the coloiu-atiou of the base of the feathers on the neck and back. 



Although the Crow appears to enjoy a similar range of habitat to the 

 Raven, the Crow is probably the more iiorlliern and western bird. 

 I have received skins or feathers from various parts of the Continent and 

 Tasmania. They have all pertained to Ravens, except those from near 

 the Tropics, which were Crows. I examined several skins in the Hobart 

 Museum ; also all Ravens. Sample heads from Mr. Tom Carter, North- 

 west Cape, were those of Crows, and were accompanied by the statement 

 tiiat the white-eyed birds had inside of mouth and tongue h\ur hhieh, while 

 tiiose with brown eyes had the mouth pink. Probably the latter were 

 youthful birds. 



Mr. Wheelwright, in his " Bush Wanderings, wrote : — " We had 

 another species, rather smaller tiian the Carrion Crow, which it otherwise 

 much resembled in shape, plumage and habits, but the eye was clear bluish- 

 white. We called it the White-eyed Crow. It was rather a more local 

 bird, generally seen in pairs, occasionally joining the other, but was 

 nowhere verv common with us.' 



45. — CORONE AUSTRALIS, Gould.- (290) 



RAVEN. 



Figure. - Gould : Birds of Australia, fol , vol. iv., pi i8. 

 Rtfeience. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol iii , p. 37. 



Previous Desciiptwns of /J^os.— Campbell : Southern Science Record 

 (1883); North: Austn. Mus. Cat., p 187, pi. 7, fig. 7 (1889). 



Geoijraphiail Diytrihiiti<iii. — Whole of Australia and Tasmania. 



Xe:it. — -Open, large, somewhat deep ; composed of sticks and coarse 

 twigs; lined inside with strings of bark, gi-ass, wool, &c. Usually situated 

 in the upper forked branches of a tall tree. Where birds arc numerous, 

 they occasionally nest in companies. Dimensions over all, about 18 inches 

 by 12 inches in depth ; egg cavity, 7 inches across by 4 inches deep. 



Effff^. — Clutch, four to five, occasionally six ; oval or pointed oval in 

 shape; texture comparatively fine; surface glossy; coloiu-, pale-green, 

 spotted, blotched or smudged with dark-umber or olive. Dimensions in 

 inches of a clutch: (1) 1-7 x 1-21, (2) 1-68 x 1-2, (3) 1-58 x 124, (4) 

 1-57 X 1-16. (Plate 5.) 



Observations. — The Wliite-eyed Crow, or really Raven, is ubiquitous 

 as far as Australia and Tasmania are concerned, but it is more abundant 

 in the plains of the interior, where the birds congregate in gicat numbers. 



On the Penguin Rocks, not far from Albatross Island, in Bass Strait. 

 Mr. Dudley Le Souef found a Raven's nest on 2nd December (1894). 

 built on a ledge of rock, which contained two young just ready to fly. 

 Mr. Le Souef suggested that the absence of trees evidently made the birds 

 choose this curious nesting-place. 



