The GyinnorJdncB or Australian Magpie. 203 



ground. They revisit the timber during the day, but towards 

 evening may again be seen on the ground before the various lots 

 hurry in to retire for the night at sundown. At such a time 

 their evensong seems if possible more cheerful. Perhaps live 

 or seven birds will form themselves into the approved art 

 pyramid upon the dead top branches of a gum tree — one bird 

 starts to carol, others chime in, and all conclude in a most joyful 

 chorus as of thankfulness to the departing day. 



After the breeding season, and during the winter months, the 

 Magpies congregate in some localities in considerable numbers. 

 This I have moi'e particularly observed in connection with the 

 next species, the White-backed Magpie. Gould says it would 

 appear that the young keep in the company of their parents for 

 the first ten months — that would be till the following pairing 

 season. The pairing season will be found to commence in July, 

 some of the earlier birds laying in August, but the majority lay 

 in September, and the breeding season generally may be said to 

 extend to the end of the year. The nest, which is usually placed 

 in the forked branches of a tree — sometimes a tall, sometimes a 

 low bushy one — is the well known large, open structure built 

 outwardly of dead sticks, twigs and strips of bark, and lined 

 securely inside with a ply of fine bark, grass, hair, feathers, etc. 

 A nest I observed lately on a fringe of Mallee was decorated with 

 numerous long emu feathers artistically interwoven round the 

 rim. The dimensions of the nest, exteriorly, were 33 cm. (13 

 inches) across by 20| cm. (8 inches) deep, the inside measure- 

 ment being 12f cm. (5 inches) in diameter by 9 cm. (3| inches) 

 deep. 



The eggs vary in numbers from three to five, a quartette 

 however being most frequently the complement. There is also 

 considerable difference in the character and colour of the 

 markings of the various clutches, so much so, that it is hard to 

 understand why eggs so totally distinct should be laid by birds of 

 the same species, and that frequently in the same locality. 

 Another "nut" for the theorists on egg-colouration to crack. 



As givino- an insiajht into the habits of the Black-backed 

 Magpie I may relate the history of a pair I saw in Riverina 

 lately, breeding close to the homestead at Dunvegan, near Denili- 

 quin. An exceedingly handsome male bird was taken when 



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