INSESSORES. 175 



Sp. 02. GYMNORHINA TIBICEN. 



Piping Crow-Shrike. 



Coracias Tibicen, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. xxvii. 



Barita Tibicen, Temm. Man. d'Orn., part i. p. li. 



Piping Roller, Lath. Gen. Hist., vol. iii. p. 86, no. 23. 



Cracticus Tibicen, Vig. and Horsf. in Linn. Trans., vol. xv. p. 260. 



Gymnorhina Tibicen, G. Tl. Gray, List of Gen. of Birds, 2nd edit. p. 50, 



Ca-ruck, Aborigines of New South Wales. 



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



This species is universally diffused over the colony of New 

 South Wales, to which part of the Australian continent I 

 believe it to be confined. It is true that a bird of this 

 genus inhabits the neighbourhood of Swan River, whose 

 size and style of plumage are very similar, but which I have 

 little doubt will prove to be distinct ; I shall therefore consider 

 the habitat of the present bird to be restricted to New South 

 Wales until I have further proofs to the contrary. 



The Gymnorhina Tibicen is a bold and showy bird, which 

 greatly enlivens and ornaments the lawns and gardens of the 

 colonists by its presence, and with the slightest protection from 

 molestation becomes so tame and familiar that it approaches 

 close to their dwellings, and perches round them and the stock 

 yards in small families of from six to ten in number. Nor is 

 its morning carol less amusing and attractive than its pied and 

 strongly contrasted plumage is pleasing to the eye. To de- 

 scribe the notes of this bird is beyond the power of my pen, 

 and it is a source of regret to myself that my readers cannot, 

 as I have done, listen to them in their native wilds, or that 

 the bird is not introduced more frequently into this country ; 

 for a more amusing and easily-kept denizen for the aviary 

 could not be selected. It lives almost entirely on insects, 

 which are generally procm-ed on the ground, and the number 

 of locusts and grasshoppers it devours is immense. In cap- 

 tivity it subsists upon animal food of almost every kind, and 



