Mr. E. P. Ramsay on Birds breeding near Sydney. 303 



of Sydney was in December 1860, when I observed a pair, ac- 

 companied by two young ones scarcely able to fly. The first 

 specimen I obtained last year was during September — about 

 the 25th. Mr. Masters had also shot some a few days before 

 at Petersham, about three miles distant from Sydney. They 

 seldom remain long, but disappear as miraculously as they come, 

 only a few remaining to pair and breed. 



The nest procured by Mr. Masters was placed between the 

 upright forks of a small tree, about eight feet from the ground. 

 It is a neat structui-e, cup-shaped, and open above, composed of 

 grass and fine rootlets closely interwoven ; the outside is orna- 

 mented with green moss, Hypnum, &c., which give it a very 

 beautiful and pleasing appearance. It is four inches in length 

 by three across, and about an inch and a half deep inside. The 

 eggs are two in number, their ground-colour pinkish-white, with 

 numerous bright red or pinkish salmon-coloured spots and 

 markings sprinkled all over the surface, but more numerously 

 towards the thicker end. They measure 10 lines in length by 

 8 in breadth. 



In this bird the plumage of both sexes is alike. I can dis- 

 cover no difference whatever. 



13. CoRvus coRONOiDES (Gould, vol. iv. pi. 18). 



In New South Wales we have two distinct races, if not species, 

 of Corvus, known by the names of the White-eyed and the Black- 

 eyed Crow. Both of them are equally plentiful about Sydney, 

 indeed throughout the whole country, so far as I have visited it ; 

 but in some places the Black-eyed birds, and in others the 

 White-eyed ones, prevail. 



The birds with the white irides seem to be larger, and have 

 the bill, if anything, longer and stouter than the other race. 

 Mr. F. G. Waterhouse, of Adelaide, informs me that the young 

 of the first have the irides white also ; the young of the second 

 have the irides black. The eggs of the White-eyed Crows dififer 

 from those of the Black-eyed race in being more lengthened and 

 of a lighter green. They are not so bright in colour, nor are 

 the markings (which have more brown in them) so distinct. 

 Their length is about 21 lines, their breadth from 13 to 14 lines. 



