5o NESTS A. YD AGGS Of ALSTRALIA.V BIRDS. 



48 — Stuepera cuneicaudata, Vieillot. — (91) 

 <S'. (innphonensis, Tenim. 



GREY CROW SHRIKE. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii., pi. 45 



Reference — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. iii., p. 60. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould: Birds of Australia (1848), also 



Handbook, vol, i., p. 174 (1865) ; North : .\ustn.Mus. Cat., p. 56, 



pi- 7, fig. I (1889). 



Genyraph'ical Distribution. — South Queensland, New South Wales, 

 Victoria and South Australia. 



Nest. — Somewhat large, composed outwardly of sticks and twigs, lined 

 inwardly with a thick ply, principally of grasses, and placed generally in 

 the foi-ked branches of a tall tree. Dimensions over all 13 inches by 

 6 to 7 inches in depth; egg cavity 7 inches across by 2^ inches deep. 



E(/(/s — Clutch, three ; oval in shape ; texture of shell fairly fine ; 

 surface, glossy ; colour', pale redchsli or vinaceous-bufE, indistinctly blotched 

 (chiefly) and spotted with light or pale umber and piuphsh-brown. 

 Dimensions in inches of a proper clutch: (1) 1-75 x 1-18, (2) 1-7 x 1-2, 

 (3) 1-66 X 1-16. 



Tlie eggs are probably the next Ughtest in general colouring to those 

 of the S. arguta. 



Observations — The next most nortlierly species of this pecuUar Crow 

 Shrike is the Grey. Its habitat is included from South Queensland round to 

 South Australia. How much further west it extends, or where it inter- 

 gi-ades %vitli the Leaden-coloured Crow Shrike (S. plumbea ), has yet to be 

 ascertained. Gould has amalgamated the two fonns, although at first he 

 was inclined to separate tliem. They have again been separated on the 

 authority of Dr. Shai-pe. 



Almost every dweller of the forest is acquainted with the pecuUar loud 

 double note of the Grey Crow Shrike. The nest of this species I last 

 took was during a South Australian excursion to Kingston. The nest 

 was situated in a c<i.suarina in the coastal sci'ub, was somewhat shallow, 

 and lined sparingly with tendrils of creeping plants, grass, and rootlets. 

 Dimensions over all, 16 to 18 inches by 10 inches in depth; egg cavity, 

 6 inches across by 3 inches deep. Clutch, three eggs. Date, 19th 

 September, 1899. 



Breeding months commence in August, continuing to October, or later. 



49. — Strepera cuneicaudata (sub-species) plumbea, Gould 

 LEADEN CROW SHRIKE. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus . vol. iii., p. 60. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Campbell: Proc, Roy. Soc. Victoria, 

 vol. iii., p. I, pi. I. fig. 7 and g (iSgo) 



Gtoyriiphical Distribution. — West Australia. 



