THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. 



129 



but more often on the top of a slightly hollow burnt stump ; an'! I have seen them from three to 

 twenty-five feet from the ground. I have often seen young birds on the wing during September, 

 but have only found nests containing eggs from September 12th up till November 13th. and the clutch 

 is usually three. 



Grallina picata (Magpie Lark).— A very common species throughout the district, anywhere in 

 the vicinity of water. As a rule they breed here in great numbers, but for some unaccountable reason 

 during the present year (191 7) very few of them bred at all. I did not see half-a-dozen nests occupied. 

 Most ol tli' nests contain eggs during the latter part oi September and October, but I have found 

 Fresh eggs .!^ Lit'- ,i> December 1st. Four eggs constitute the usual number for a sitting, but they 

 often lay five, and they place their nests at various heights, some are to be seen quite low down, near 

 the surface of the water, while others are as much as seventy feet above. 



Gymnorhina tibicen (Black-backed Magpie). Although this species is far from common any- 

 where in the district, scattered pairs and small flocks are to be met with in the more open forests, and 

 ring-barked country. Once they take up their abode in any particular locality, they usually remain 

 thereabouts for years, sometimes building a new nest in the same tree season after season, but they 

 only rear one brood each year, and the young birds remain with their parents till the approach of 

 the following breeding season. I have examined a great number of their nests, but have never seen 

 one containing eggs earlier than August 22nd, and none later than October 24th. They mostly lay 

 four eggs for a sitting. I have never found a larger clutch, and it is seldom that two clutches from 

 different birds are found exactly alike in colour and markings. 



Gymnorhina leuconota 1 White-backed Magpie). — A very rare species in this district, but one 

 bird has been here to my knowledge for the last four years ; it is mated with one of the black-backed 

 birds, and they breed about the same place each season. I had one of their young, but when about 

 a year old it was killed by a Goshawk. To all appearance it was purely a black-backed. 



Cracticus nigrigularis (Black-throated Butcher-bird). — When I came here first, about 17 years 

 ago, there were always a few pairs about the estate, and they used to breed in the white box trees 

 near my house, but I have not seen or heard a single bird since 1907. 



Xest and eggs of the Butcher Bird (Cracticus destructor) in a Bull Oak sapling. 



