476 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



localities mentioned, while Port Essington examples have 

 the basal portion of the feathers on the back of the neck 

 greyish white, which is not the case with those inhabiting the 

 south coast. When the birds are fully adult, the colour of 

 the eye is white, I believe, in the whole of them — a circum- 

 stance which tends to strengthen the opinion I entertain of 

 their being one and the same species. 



In Western Australia, for the greater part of the year, this 

 bird is met with in pairs or singly ; but in May and June it 

 congregates in families of from twenty to fifty, and is then 

 very destructive to the farmer's seed crops, which appear to 

 be its only inducement for assembling together, as it is not 

 known to congregate at any other period. In New South 

 Wales and Tasmania it is also usually seen in pairs, but 

 occasionally congregated in small flocks. At Port Essington, 

 where it is mostly seen in pairs, in quiet secluded places, it is 

 not so abundant as in other parts of Australia. 



The stomach is tolerably muscular, and the food consists of 

 insects, carrion of all kinds, berries, seeds, grain, and other 

 vegetable substances. 



Its croak very much resembles that of the Carrion Crow, 

 but differs in the last note being lengthened to a great extent. 



Its nest, which is formed of sticks and of a large size, is 

 usually placed near the top of the largest gum-trees. The 

 eggs, which are three or four in number, are very long in 

 form, and of a pale dull green colour, blotched, spotted, and 

 freckled all over with umber-brown, the blotches being of a 

 much greater size at the larger end ; they are about one inch 

 and three quarters long by one inch and an eighth broad. 



The whole of the plumage rich shining purplish black, with 

 the exception of the elongated feathers on the throat, which 

 are slightly glossed with green ; bill and feet black ; irides in 

 some white, in others brown. 



