BLACK-BACKED MAGPIE. 
many opportunities of watching these birds. The cock bird with his white back 
is certainly exceedingly like leuconota, but the hen with her marked black 
back certainly more closely resembles tibicen, altho’ the placing of the black 
shows marked differences. Is it not possible that this form may have been 
specialised from a hybrid ? 
“ This Western bird is much shyer and more difficult to approach than 
either of the Eastern birds. While the birds were common on the sand 
plains at Watheroo I had great difficulty in securing a specimen, but ultimately 
shot an adult female. Certainly they have notes differing markedly from 
the White-backed birds round Adelaide.” 
A. G. Campbell writing of the birds of North-eastern Victoria has recorded : 
<c The Black-backed Magpie (G. tibicen ) is the representative of the genus in 
the northern part of the colony, and in Rutlierglen district it is exceptionally 
plentiful. The whole year round the birds feed in flocks on the open grass- 
land. This, together "with the fact that only two nests were seen in the 
district during two seasons, leads to the belief that many of them do not nest. 
One particular flock which came under observation appeared to possess a 
domain of its own, and any other Magpies which dared to come near were 
rigorously hunted ; but it was amusing to see these same autocrats make off 
helter-skelter on the appearance of a well-known Harrier, which for many 
months made an almost daily visit to the paddock. It was always left in 
undisputed possession for the time being. Concerning the 4 black-backs ’ 
many interesting phases of plumage are to be seen, some birds having a very 
narrow black band between the shoulder blades, while others have almost 
the whole of the back black.” 
Berney records from the Richmond District, North Queensland : “ The 
Magpie is always here, and pretty numerously represented ; I think this is 
the earliest of the early birds, for its beautiful notes may be heard with the 
faintest streaks of dawn. I have a good many notes of nests with eggs or 
young birds in September.” 
Chandler has noted regarding the birds of Kow Plains, Victoria : “A 
common bird. A number of hybrids between G. tibicen and G. leuconota were 
seen at different times on the plains.” 
Macgiilivray has written : “ Common in the Guff country (of Queensland). 
Not noted at Cape York. This Gulf bird is smaller than southern birds, and 
has been separated by Mr. Mathews under the subspecific name terra-regine ” 
(sic). 
Barnard has added from the Northern Territory : “ This bird was plentiful 
on the Barclay Tableland during our visit in the beginning of 1913, but we 
did not obtain any eggs. Another bird which I think is slightly different 
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