THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 143 



NOTES. 



The Crow. — Although ahnost every country has its representa- 

 tives of the genus Corvus, which have been more or less studied, 

 still those to be found in our Australian continent have received 

 but little attention, and at the present time difference of opinion 

 prevails as to whether there are one, two, or three species. Gould 

 has described them under two headings, Corvus Avstralis (White- 

 eyed Crow) and C. coronoides (Hazel-eyed Crow). In North's 

 catalogue they are classified as G. corone (Raven Crow) and C. 

 Australis (Common Crow). Other authorities contend that we 

 have only one species. Up to the present I must plead guilty to 

 a share of negligence in this matter, but with a view to arriving at 

 a definite conclusion I have, in company with Mr. Gabriel, been 

 making a careful examination of the large White-eyed or Raven 

 Crow. As these birds were known to be numerous on the 

 Werribee Park estate, application was made to Mr. Chirnside for 

 permission to visit their habitat for the purpose of collecting 

 specimens and making observations. The request was im- 

 mediately granted, and, armed with our permit, Mr. Gabriel and 

 I paid our dusky friends a first visit on Saturday, 9th September. 

 Although so early in the season, we found several broods of young 

 birds nearly able to fly. From their condition it is evident that 

 these birds must frequently lay as early as July. In other nests 

 eggs were found, the clutches varying from two to five in number. 

 After some trouble a female bird was shot, but the males were 

 more wary and had a better knowledge of gun range, or objected 

 to being made martyrs to science, for they defied all our attempts 

 to capture one. The specimen secured was an average specimen 

 of the following measurements : — Length, 20 in. ; wings, from tip 

 to tip, 3 ft. 2)}i in. ; third primary, 10^ in. ; tail, 8 in. ; bill, 2^ 

 in.; weight, i lb. 7^ oz. These birds are decidedly the largest, 

 are very local in their habits, and frequently spend the whole 

 year within a very limited range. They are always in pairs, 

 except when the young are accompanying the parents. The 

 young of this species have a blue eye until they reach maturity. 

 I have frequently seen a much smaller bird in large flocks, which 

 are decidedly migratory, and generally follow the locusts from 

 New South Wales. These birds seem to prefer insects to carrion, 

 whilst the large or Raven Crow deHghts to feast on a dead sheep. 

 I have seen samples of the Hazel-eyed Crow from Darling Downs. 

 They were much narrower and longer than the second bird 

 mentioned, and I am in hopes of getting some facts concerning 

 them shortly. Perhaps some of our members may assist in 

 working out this matter. — G. A. Keartland. 



Victorian Land Shells. — Mr. C. Hedley, F.L.S., Australian 

 Museum, Sydney, is desirous of obtaining, for dissection, specimens 

 of Paryphanta atramentaria (with animals). 



