52 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
Nest . — An open and fairly deep structure, composed of sticks and 
twigs; lined with dried grasses and rootlets. Usually built in the. upright 
forked branch of a tree up to 40 feet from the ground. Favourite nest- 
ing trees are gums and oaks. 
Eggs . — Three to five, usually four, greyish-green, pale olive, or pale 
brown, spotted and blotched or thinly freckled with darker shades of the 
ground colour, or with shades of brown and some black spots, often with 
well-defined caps at the larger end. Breeding-season : August to Decem- 
ber or January. 
6. Western Magpie Gymnorhina dorsalis Campbell 
Gym-no-rhxn-a — Gk, gymnos , bare; Gk, this (rhinos), nose: dors-a-lis — 
L., dorsalis , backed. 
Distribution. — South-western Australia. 
Notes. — Similar in habits to the Black-backed Magpie. 
Nest . — A large, bowl-shaped structure, composed of sticks and twigs; 
lined with bark, grass, wool, hair, or fur. Usually placed at heights up 
to 40 feet or more from the ground. 
Eggs. — Three to five, four being the usual clutch. A typical clutch 
is pale bluish-white, almost obliterated with smudges and blotches of um- 
ber, brownish-red, and pale purplish-slate. Breeding-season : July to 
February. 
7. White-backed Magpie Gymnorhina hypoleuca Gould 
hy-po-leuc-a — Gk, hypo , under ; Gk, leucos, white. 
Distribution. — Southern Australia (except south-western portion), 
central Australia, and Tasmania; introduced into New Zealand. 
Notes . — Similar in habits to the Black-backed Magpie. 
Nest. — Similar to that of the Black-backed Magpie. 
Eggs. — Similar to those of the Black-backed Magpie. 
8. Black-backed Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen Latham 
ti-bi-cen — L., tibicen, a flute-player. 
Distribution. — Australia (except southern Victoria and south-west- 
ern Australia) ; introduced into New Zealand. 
Notes —Also called Piping Crow-shrike, Varied Crow-shrike, Organ- 
bird, Flute-bird, and Singing White Crow. Few birds are better known 
than the Magpies, either in a wild state or in captivity. The Black-backed 
Magpie like other Magpies, shows a preference for open forest country, 
partly cleared lands, and cultivation paddocks. It is very useful in destroy- 
ing all manner of insect pests. Its song is a delightful carol of melodious 
flute-like notes heard at its best in the early morning; this is one of the 
outstanding bird songsters of the world. . It will protect its home vigor- 
ously, inflicting severe punishment on an intruder. 
