342 t6:e birds op Australia 



pointed. Tail square. Black and white the only colours. Con- 

 fined to Australia and Tasmania. 



Of the five species, G. hyperleuca, the smallest, is confined 

 to Tasmania, not occurring on the islands in Bass Strait; 

 G. longirostris North-west Australia ; G. dorsalis West Australia ; 

 G. tibicen ranges from the Gulf of Carpentaria district down 

 through the interior parts of Queensland, New South Wales, 

 Victoria and South Australia; G. leuconota inhabits more 

 especially the coastal and heavily forested parts of New South 

 Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. 



The Black-backed Magpie. 



Gymnorhina tibicen. 



Adult male glossy blue-black, except nape and hind neck, upper and 

 under wing-coverts, upper and under tail-coverts, tail (except a broad 

 terminal band) and vent, which are white; bill bluish- white to bluish- 

 black at the tip; iris light-hazel; legs black. Total length 15 to 16 

 inches, culmen 2, wing 10, tail 6, tarsus 2. 



Adult female differs in that the black has a more brownish tinge, and 

 the upper parts white in the male are grey in the female. 



Magpies in their natural state mostly procure their food on 

 the ground, devouring mainly grubs and caterpillars and small 

 lizards, but occasionally grain, berries and fruit. They are very 

 properly protected, as any creature which will lessen the number 

 of our million insect pests in Australia is especially valuable. 



All the species are famous vocalists. The wild carol is 

 wonderfully rich and clear, falling away in sweet flute-like notes. 

 In captivity the birds soon pick up fetching airs. I heard of 

 one bird which rose to a correct rendering of the first bars of 

 the anthem, "How beautiful upon the mountains," but the 

 majority are brought up on "There is no luck about the house" 

 and "Merrily sang the baker's wife." Some birds have been 

 taught to imitate the human voice in speech, and indeed the 

 mimetic talent is considerable. 



Mr. W. H. Bowman, of the Currajong, possessed a bird 

 which had been taught to call Mrs. Bowman "Mother" and 

 Mr. Bowman ' ' Father. ' ' One day, while at the table they heard 

 loud calls of "Mother! Mother! Mo-o-ther!" becoming more and 

 more pathetic in the inflexions of the voice and also fainter. 



