:;8 NESTS AXD EGGS 01- AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



extreme summits of the range being an elevated ridge of rocky peaks 

 about the centre of tlie plateau, which at the point where I crossed it 

 was some forty miles in width. I encamped one night under the shadow 

 of one of these peaks, and not far from Kosciusko. It was early in the 

 month of February, but even then masses of frozen snow were cUnging 

 to the shady and sheltered side of the rocks. The place where I encamped 

 was covered with dead and stunted gum-trees, killed, no doubt, by somu 

 terrible bush fire of former years, and every leafless tree was covered with 

 Crows' nests, thousands of them, and the continuous cawing of the birds 

 was completely deafening. My sable companion and myself were glad 

 when darkness came on and the noisy birds went to sleep, though even 

 diu'ing the night they were not quite voiceless, disturbed most likely by the 

 large camp fire we had to keep up on account of the cold. I was much 

 interested in this immense rookeiT, as I had often looked for Crows' nests 

 in the low countiy, but could never find any, and I thought some instinct 

 induced them to build on the mountain tops, though I have since heard 

 that rookeries are sometimes foimd in flat country." 



46- — Strepera graculina. White. — (88) 



PIED CROW SHRIKE. 



Figure. — Gould; Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii , pi. 42. 

 Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iii., p. 57. 



Previous Descriptions 0/ Eggs. — Campbell : Southern Science Record 

 (i88z) ; North : Austn, Mus, Cat , p. 55 (1889) 



Geographical Dixtrihutinn. — Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, 

 and South Austi-alia. 



Nest. — Large, open, basin-shaped structiu'e, composed outwardly of 

 sticks and twigs. Lined inside with gi-asses. kc, and usually placed in the 

 forked branches of a tree in forest or scrub. Dimensions over all, about 

 9 inches by 4 inches in depth ; egg cavity, 6 inches across by 2 inches deep. 



Eygs. — Clutch, two to three ; somewhat lengthened in shape, or oval ; 

 texture of shell comparatively fine ; surface glossv. in some places irregu- 

 lar ; colour, rich, vinaceous-bufi, indistinctly blotched with umber and 

 piu-plish-brown. Dimensions in inches of a pair: (1) 1-70 x 1-15, 

 (2) 1-63 X 1-16. 



Ubservafioii-s. — The identification of the various species of Streperti- c: 

 Crow Shrikes is somewhat perplexing to the ornithological student. How- 

 ever, the Pied Crow Shrike is the most northerly one as far as the eastern 

 coast is concerned, although it sometimes ranges roimd as far as South 

 Australia, where Mr. S. A. White shot a bird at Mount Barker, 1896. 

 Specimen examined. The only nest I recollect seeing of this species 

 was in Richmond River District of New South Wales, where it was situated 

 well out of reach in the forked branches of a tall buoyong tree (Tiirrietia 

 actinophylla), standing in a clearing. 



