THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
brown with a large amount of white on the inner ones ; lower aspect of tail similar 
to its upper-surface. Eyes dark brown, legs dull olive, bill bluish with blackish 
tip. Total length 320 mm. ; culmen 50, wing 190, tail 140, tarsus 39. Figured. 
Collected at Kalgoorlie, West Australia, on the 30th of September, 1905, and is the 
type of Cracticus nigrogularis kalgoorlie. 
Adult female has the parts that are black in the male, brownish. 
Immature male. Top of head, nape, hind-neck and upper mantle soot-black ; lower 
mantle grey or greyish with smoke-brown tips to many of the feathers ; back and 
scapulars dark smoke-brown ; rump and upper tail-coverts cream-white ; marginal 
upper wing-coverts white, the lesser, median, and greater series dark smoke-brown 
more or less fringed with white ; bastard-wing uniform smoke-brown ; primary- 
coverts white marked with smoke-brown at the tips ; flight-quills dark smoke- 
brown, paler at the tips and white at the base of the outer webs of the primaries 
except the two outer ones ; the secondaries broadly margined with white on the 
inner webs which increases in extent towards the imier ones, some of which are 
partially white on both webs, while the two innermost ones are uniform smoke- 
brown ; tail smoke-brown with white tips to the feathers which increases in extent 
on the lateral ones, where the dark pattern is inclining to black ; rictal-bristles 
black ; lores whitish with dark hair-like tips to the feathers ; a supraloral streak 
and feathers surrounding the eye dark brown with minute white tips to the feathers 
which imparts a speckled appearance ; ear-coverts dark brown with pale shaft- 
streaks ; chin and throat greyish-white with black hair-like tips to the feathers 
on the former ; fore-neck and breast greyish-buff with dark cross-bars ; sides of 
breast dark brown ; abdomen, sides of body, thighs and under tail-coverts cream- 
white like the axillaries and under wing-coverts ; under-surface of flight-quills 
pale brown ; lower aspect of tail similar to its upper-surface. Eyes brown, feet 
slaty-grey, bill black at the tip with slate base. Figured. Collected at the Horse 
Shoe Bend, Finke River, Central Australia. 
The eggs of this species are three to four for a setting, (three usually) ; they vary greatly in 
general colouring, shape and markings. A rather typical clutch of four eggs has pale 
olive-brown, ground-colour, spotted with umber, brown, and a few markings of pale 
slate, the markings converging and forming a cap at the large end of each egg ; 
on each cap are several jet-black spots closely resembling indian ink. 
Eggs rather long ovals in shape. Surface of shell smoothly granular and glossy. They 
measure 33-34 mm. by 23. Another clutch of four is swollen oval in shape, ground- 
colour of a pale creamy-brown, spotted and blotched, particularly at the larger 
end, with dark olive-brown, dull slate, and black ; the latter colouring taking the 
form of several small spots on the larger end of each egg. Surface of shell smooth 
and glossy. They measure 33-34 mm. by 23 (Northern form). 
Nest. A rather neat, open and fairly deep cup-shaped structure, composed of sticks and 
twigs, and chiefly lined with grass stems. Dimensions of nest over all from 6 to 9 
inches. Nest generally placed in a forest tree and at a height of from 10 to 35 
feet or more. 
Eggs. In the typical form the eggs vary considerably in their shape and size, as well 
as in the general colouring and disposition of the markings. The eggs vary from 
three to five for a clutch, four being generally found. A clutch of four of one of the 
most usual varieties met with has a ground-colour of a dark brownish-olive, marked 
all over with very small markings of even a darker brownish-olive, and become 
defined at the larger end, on the apex of which are several black ink-like spots. 
Surface of shell smoothly granular and glossy. They measure 36-38 mm. by 24-25. 
A clutch of five of another variety frequently met with has a ground-colour of pale 
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