BLACK-BACKED BUTCHER-BIRD. 
or black ; back blackish or smoke-brown with lead-grey bases to the feathers ; upper 
tail-coverts white, tinged with fawn-colour ; lesser and median upper wing-coverts 
black narrowly fringed with white ; greater coverts blackish-brown with a central 
streak of white which is cream-colour at the tip, the white increasing in extent 
on the inner ones, where it occupies almost the whole of the feather ; primary-coverts 
similar ; outer edge of wing white ; flight-quills blackish, white at the base of the 
webs, which extend towards the inner ones ; some of the secondaries are margined 
with white on both webs and also the tips ; tail black tipped with white ; sides of 
face blackish-brown with pale shaft-streaks ; the feathers in front of the eye have 
black hair-like tips ; rictal-bristles black ; chin, throat, breast, abdomen, thighs, 
and under tail-coverts white, like the axillaries, under wing-coverts and inner 
margins of quills below ; some of the feathers on the chin have black hair-like tips ; 
under-surface of flight-quills greyish-brown ; lower aspect of tail blackish tipped 
with white. Eyes black, feet and bill lead-grey. Figured. Collected at Skull 
Creek, Cape York, North Queensland, on the 14th of December, 1912. 
Eggs. The eggs of this species vary considerably in the general colouring and disposition of 
the markings, as well as in size and shape. A clutch of three, of one of the most usual 
forms met with, is swollen oval in shape, and has a ground-colour of a pale greenish- 
grey, spotted and blotched, chiefly at the larger end, with reddish-brown, purplish- 
brown, and dull slate. Surface of shell smoothly granular and rather glossy. They 
measure 25 mm. by 21. Another clutch of three is long oval in shape, and has a pale 
brown ground-colour, well spotted with reddish-brown, purplish-brown, and dull 
slate. Surface of shell smooth and rather glossy. They measure 28-30 mm. by 
21 - 22 . 
Nest. The usual open, shallow, cup-shaped structure, composed of sticks and lined with 
strong grass roots, and placed in the forked branches of a tree in forest country ; 
and at heights from 14 to 35 feet or more from the ground. 
Breeding season. October to December. 
The history of this very recent addition to the Australian Avifauna began in 
1911, when Campbell recorded: “ C factious mentalis (Black-backed Butcher- 
Bird). Through the enterprise of Mr. H. L. White, New South Wales, and 
the energy of Mr. Harry Barnard, Queensland, this New Guinea species is 
now established as an Australian bird also. Mr. Barnard observed several of 
these birds at Lockerbie, Cape York, and discovered a pair breeding 1/12/10. 
Mr. White describes those eggs in the next article (7. mentalis is a 
small Butcher-Bird (about 10 inches total length) and is black and white, 
similar to C. argenteus of North-west Australia, but having a black back 
instead of silvery-grey.” 
Barnard wrote : “ This is a New Guinea bird, and now recorded for 
Australia. It inhabits the forests of tall stringy-bark trees, and is always 
found in pairs. One pair I located built no fewer than four nests, all of which 
were deserted on completion. I succeeded in getting only one pair of eggs, 
late in the season. The habits of these birds closely resemble those of Cracticus 
destructor and the note is similar, but very much weaker, and can only be heard 
a short distance away.” 
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