178 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



feathers glossy black ; irides light hazel ; bill bluish-lilac, 

 passing into black at the tip ; legs and feet blackish grey. 



Sp. 94. GYMNORHINA ORGANICUM, Gould. 

 Tasmanian Crow-Shrike. 



Cracticus hi/poleucus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, part iv. p. 106. 

 Gymnorhina hypoleuca, Cab. Mus. Hein., Theil i. p. 226. 

 Organ-Bird and White Magpie of the Colonists. 



Gymnorhina organicum, Gould, Birds of Australia, fol., vol. ii. 

 pL48. 



This animated and elegant bird is a native of Tasmania, 

 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 it is 

 also to be met with in small troops in all the open parts of 

 the country ; but I did not observe it on the banks of the 

 Tamar. 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 re- 

 sembling 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 conse- 

 quently soon becomes a most amusing as well as an ornamental 

 bird for the aviary or cage. The stomach is very muscular, 

 and the food consists of insects of various kinds, grubs, cater- 

 pillars, &c., which are procured on the ground. 



A nest I found among the topmost branches of a high 

 gum-tree was round, 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, Avhich again was lined with the inner 

 bark of the stringy bark-tree, sheep's wool, and a few fea- 



