PLATE 



"V*. 



GYMNORHINA LEUCONOTA (Gould). 



WHITE-BACKED CROW-SHRIKE. 



THE Gymnorhina Leitconota is found in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, principally 

 in fiat and open country, studded with trees of the Eucalyptus and Angophora tribes. 



It is not particularly tame in disposition, but, like both the other members of the genus, will 

 live in captivity, and displays a great aptitude for learning to whistle and talk. 



It lives on grasshoppers, locusts, and other such insects, and also will not reject berries 

 and fruits. 



In September and October it builds, in the upright fork of a large tree, a nest of small twigs, 

 lined with various grasses. Three eggs are laid, in length one inch and two-thirds, and in breadth one 

 inch and one line. The colour is bluish-grey, with streaks of reddish-brown. 



Dissection is necessary to distinguish the sexes, so much do they resemble each other in plumage. 



The back of the neck, back, rump, wing-coverts, tail-coverts, and base of the tail-feathers are 

 white ; the rest of the plumage, black ; irides, hazel ; bill, bluish-grey at the base, black at the tip ; legs 

 and feet, blackish-brown. 



Habitats : New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. 



GYMNORHINA TIBICEN (G. R. Gray). 



PIPING CRO 1 1 -SHRIKE. 



THE home of the species under notice is New South Wales and parts of Victoria, the same description 

 of country being inhabited by it which is frequented by its congeners. 



It is much less timid in disposition than Gymnorhina Leuconota, and exceeds that bird in 

 colloquial talents when in captivity. 



Its food consists of the larger kinds of insects. 



The season of incubation lasts from August to January, two broods being reared each year 

 Three or four eggs are laid in a nest constructed of small dried sticks and grasses, and lined with soft 

 bark and wool. 



The crown of the head, cheeks, throat, back, under surface, scapularies, primaries and tips of 

 the tail are black ; back of the neck, wing-coverts, rump, tail-coverts, and base of the tail-feathers, white ; 

 bill, bluish-grey at the base, passing into black at the tip ; irides, light brown ; legs and feet, black. 



Habitats : New South Wales and Victoria. 



