OF SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA. 



broke one of its legs, early in 1893. This broken member 

 served as a good recognition mark. A pair of this species 

 living at Pakenham has reared three families of young without 

 any black pigment in their plumage, but these albinos do not 

 seem to live long in captivity. 



Nest. — Cup-shaped ; large : formed of sticks externally, 

 grasses and hair internally, and nicely lined ; placed high or 

 low according to the size of tree available. 



Eggs. — They vary considerably in colour. The ground 

 colour may be light green, light brown, or intermediate 

 shades ; the markings may be streaks and blotches of chest- 

 nut, reddish-brown, or varying brown ; some will be heavily 

 blotched, others will be lightly so. Clutch, 3 to 4. Length, 

 1.5 inches ; breadth, 1 inch. 



Black-backed Magpie 



(Piping Crow-Shrike), 



Gyiiiiiorliiiia tibiccii, Lath. 



Jim-nd-rtnd ii-btsen. 

 Gumnos, naked ; rhinus, nostril ; tihicen, a flute-player. 

 Gymnorhina tibicen, Gould, " Birds of Australia," fol., vol. ii., pi. 46. 

 Geographical Distribution. — Areas 3, 6, 7. 



Key to the Species or Variety. — Black band across white back ; 

 throat and breast black ; bill pointed and slightly hooked ; nostrils 

 bare of feathers, and placed as longitudinal shts about the middle 

 of the bill. 



This bird appears to me as a variety rather than as a 

 species Gradually the black bar of the back is evolving 

 away, and it is more than probable later generations will 

 recognize in these present species a type common to the whole 



