12 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



ORDER— PASSERIFORMES : PERCHING BIRDS. 



Sub-Order — Passeres. 



FAMILY— CORVID/E (3 species). 



Sub- Family — Corvinae. 



KAVEN 



{Coronc australis, Gould). 



Male. — Whole of upper and lower surfaces black, glossed with 

 purple ; bases of the feathers on the neck and throat vary in shade 

 from soiled- white to greyish ; bill, legs, and feet black ; irides white. 

 Dimensions in mm. : — Length, 535; bill, 65; wing, 368; tail, 200; 

 tarsus, 60. 



Female. — Similar in plumage to male. Dimensions in mm. : — 

 Length, 519; bill, 63; wing, 354; tail, 205; tarsus, 59. 



Young. — Differ from adults in that the irides are hazel and 

 the bases of the feathers, especially on throat, chest, and neck, 

 are almost snow-white. 



Nest. — Large and somewhat deep, constructed of sticks and 

 twigs, and lined with shredded bark, grass, wool, and sometimes 

 horse manure. The topmost bough of a lofty tree is usually 

 chosen. 



Eggs. — Clutch, four to five usually; varying in shape from 

 oval to pointed oval ; texture fairly fine ; surface glossy ; colour 

 pale green, spotted and blotched, some very heavily, with blackish- 

 umber and olive. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch : — (1) 41 x 30.5, 

 (2) 44 X 31, (3) 43 X 31, (4) 40 x 30. 



Breeding Season. — August to December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, King Island, and the 

 whole of Australia. 



Observations. — After an investigation extending over some 

 years, and examination of specimens from nearly every district in 

 Tasmania, I am forced to the conclusion that the Crow {Corvus 

 coronoidcs) is non-existent in this island. In some works on Aus- 

 tralian bird-life the Crow is described as being white-eyed and the 

 Raven hazel-eyed. Eavens are to be procured anywhere here, 

 either white or hazel-eyed. I am of opinion that the irides change 

 with age from hazel to white, similarly to what occurs with the 

 Silver Gull {Larus novce-hoUandice). One of the chief, if not the 

 chief, distinguishing features between the Crow and the Eaven is 

 that the bases of the feathers of the former are snow-white, while 

 those of the latter are dusky. Although a Eaven may sometimes 

 be procured whose plumage, especially on the throat and back of 

 the neck, is nearly white at the base, yet the white gradually 

 merges into the black as the tips of the feathers are reached. 

 Now, with the true Crow there is a distinct line of demarcation 

 between the white and the black. 



