THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
doubt the subspecific value of the form, but I would not, at present, allow 
specific rank to such a form. 
As already pointed out the Tasmanian bird was first described by Gould 
and then the South Australian one as a new species, although only differing 
in size. Half a century afterwards Campbell described the West Australian 
bird as a new species on account of the plumage of the female, selecting the 
name dorsalis as the back was brownish-black with white edgings, whereas 
the adult female of the eastern form has a pale grey back. 
When I prepared my “ Reference List ” I allowed four forms thus : 
Cmcticus hypoleucus hypoleucus Gould. 
Tasmania. 
Cr adieus hypoleucus leuconotus (Gould). 
Victoria, South Australia. 
Or adieus hypoleucus intermedins Mathews. 
“ Differs from C. 1. leuconotus in its larger size (Cooma), N.S.W.” 
New South Wales. 
Cmcticus hypoleucus dorsalis (Campbell). 
West Australia. 
With the correct reference to the genus Gymnorhina these four were 
arranged similarly in my 1913 “ List.” 
That the matter of forms is not yet settled may be seen from A. G. 
Campbell’s remarks : “ G. hypoleuca. Besides being considerably smaller 
than the Magpie of the mainland, some difference is shown between specimens 
from the north and south of Tasmania. 
Launceston : Total length 13'0, bill 1*55, wing 9'5, tail 5*3, tarsus 2.1 inch. 
Bagdad: 13*5 L78 9*25 5*5 2T 
G. leuconota. This was common along the coastal clearings (of Kangaroo 
Island). One specimen (in captivity) had a narrow black band across the 
back.” 
I consider that two species are recognisable, G. hypoleuca and G. tibicen , 
but the fact that the N.S.W. form of the former is the largest, agreeing in size 
with the latter, is very significant. 
The interbreeding and suggested intergradation of the two species G. tibicen 
and G. leuconota provided speculation for Robert Hall some twenty years ago, 
when he conjectured an Ancestral Piping-Crow of a uniform black type from 
which evolved one species only, G. leuconota (White-backed Magpie), with 
one variety, namely, that having a black back, known as G. tibicen. This essay 
was cleverly reviewed in the first volume of the Emu by an unknown writer, 
whose identity as LI. Kendall is suggested from the clear reasoning displayed. 
Thus was written : “ It is hard to define a species from a subspecies or variety. 
•* 
362 
