BLACK-BACKED MAGPIE. 
tail white at the base, with black shafts, and black on the terminal portion and the 
onter-web of the outermost feather on each side ; a slightly indicated superciliary 
streak of pale smoke-brown ; rictal-bristles black ; lores blackish with hair-like 
tips to the feathers ; chin dusky grey, also with black hair-like tips to the feathers ; 
throat, lower cheeks, and fore-neck ochreous-bronze with dark bases to the feathers ; 
breast, abdomen and sides of the body pale slate-grey with blackish centres and 
dark bases to the feathers ; thighs blackish-brown ; under wing-coverts white ; 
axillaries and greater under wing-coverts blackish ; under-surface of flight-quills 
dark brown with glossy reflections ; lower aspect of tail similar to its upper-surface 
but much paler on the terminal portion. Eyes brown, feet blue-black, bill lead- 
grey, tip dark. Collected at Nomianton, Gulf of Carpentaria, North Queensland, 
on the 4th of April, 1914. 
Immature female. Crown of head and nape blackish-brown with dark smoke-brown margins 
to the feathers, sides of crown dusky-grey ; fore-part of cheeks and ear-coverts 
blackish ; sides of neck and a band across the hind-neck cream-white, becoming 
grey with blackish centres to the feathers of the lower hind-neck and upper mantle ; 
mantle and scapulars blackish-brown with bronze or slate-grey margins to tiie 
feathers ; back ash-grey with dark shaft-streaks and whitish tips to the feathers ; 
edge of wing and upper wing-coverts white, some of the lesser coverts blackish-brown 
at the base and some of the greater series blackish on the terminal portion ; ba stard - 
wing and primary-coverts also blackish with more or less white on the basal portion 
and extends towards the tips on the outer webs ; flight-quills blackish, paler and 
inclining to smoke-brown on the inner margins ; rump, upper tail-coverts, and 
base of tail white like the vent and under tail-coverts ; terminal portion of tail 
and outer web of the outermost feather on each side blackish ; sup raloral streak, which 
extends over the eye, isabelline ; the feathers in front and below the eye blackish 
with liair-like tips : rictal-bristles black ; chin dusky grey with black hair-like 
tips to the feathers ; throat, lower cheeks, fore-neck, and upper breast bronze- 
brown with black centres to the feathers on the last ; low r er breast and abdomen 
slate-grey with dark shaft-lines to the feathers, becoming uniform grey on the 
sides of the body ; axillaries pale brown ; thighs coffee-brown ; under wing-coverts 
white ; under-surface of flight-quills brown with glossy reflections ; lower aspect 
of tail similar to its upper-surface. 
Nest. Large bowl-shaped structure, composed of sticks and twigs ; lined with rootlets, 
grass, bark, feathers, wool, etc. 12 to 14 inches by 6 to 8 deep ; inside 6 or 7 inches 
by 3| deep. 
Eggs. Vary from two to five for a setting, but as a rule three to four eggs constitute the full 
clutch. They are subject to considerable variation in the ground-colour, as well as the 
general markings, and, as regards shape and size, they have a very extensive range. 
They vary more than any other eggs laid by Australian birds. One of the most 
common forms met with has a pale bluish ground-colour, beautifully marbled, nearly 
all over, with streaks, hair-like fines, and smudges of pinkish or brownish-red, and 
dull slate markings. Swollen ovals in shape. Surface of shell fairly smooth and 
slightly glossy. This clutch measures 42-43 mm. by 29. In another form frequently 
met with the ground-colour is of a pale greenish tinge, well marked all over with 
smudges, hair-like fines, and scribblings of various shapes, of umber and pale slate. 
The clutch measures 35-39 mm. by 27-29. Another form (No. 3) is of a pale 
brownish-buff ground-colour, well spotted all over, particularly at the larger end, 
with markings of umber, reddish-brown, purplish-grey, and slate. The eggs of 
this clutch are very lengthened specimens, and much pointed at the smaller end. 
They measure 45-46 mm. by 29. Form No. 4 are very large and beautiful eggs, 
with a ground-colour of pale greyish-blue, boldly and very remarkably blotched 
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