PIED CROW-SHRIKE. 
Vol. XVII., p. 37, 1917 (N.Q.) ; Macgillivray, ib., p. 211, 1918 (N.Q.) ; Bryant, 
ib., Vol. XIX., pp. 63-5, 1919 (Vic.) ; S. A. White, ib., pp. 221-226 (Q.) ; id., ib., 
p. 249, 1920 ; Jackson, ib., pp. 268-272, 1920 (Q.). 
Barita strepens “ Merr.” Bonaparte, Consp. Gen. Ay., Vol. I., p. 367, 1850 (Feb. 1851) : 
nom. nud. 
Strepera graculina graculina Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 443, 1912 ; id., List 
Birds Austr., p. 314, 1913. 
Strepera graculina robinsoni Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 443, Jan. 31st, 1912 : 
(Johnstone River) North Queensland; id., South Austr. Orn., Vol. 2, p. 62, 1915; 
id., List Birds Austr., p. 315, 1913; H. L. White, Emu, Vol. XXI., p. 164, 1922. 
Strepera graculina ashbyi Mathews, Austral Av. Rec., Vol. II., pt. 4, p. 78, Dec. 29th, 
1913 : Black Spur, Victoria. 
Neostrepera versicolor riordani Mathews, ib. : Geelong, Victoria. (Otway Forester.) 
Strepera graculina magnirostris H. L. White, Emu, Vol. XXII., pt. 4, p. 258, Aug. 5th, 
1923 : Cape York, North Queensland. 
Distribution. Eastern Australia from Cape York Peninsula to Victoria. 
Adult male. General colour both on the upper and under-surface black ; the rictal bristles 
strongly developed, the feathers on the lores and fore-part of cheeks are bristly in 
texture and those on the chin and upper-throat have hair-like tips, the primary- 
quills white at the base, both on the outer and inner webs, the under tail-coverts 
cream-white like the base and tips of the tail-feathers. Eyes yellow. Bill and 
feet black. Total length 460 mm. ; culmen 62, wing 247, tail 180, tarsus 55. Figured. 
Collected on the Johnson River, North Queensland, on the 19th of June, 1900, and 
is the type of Strepera graculina robinsoni. 
Adult female similar to the male. 
Eggs. Two to four eggs form the clutch, and are subject to considerable variation in 
colouring and general markings, as well as in size and shape. A clutch of three eggs, 
of the most usual variety met with, is oval in shape, ground-colour pale buff-brown ; 
spotted and blotched, particularly at the larger end, with light to dark purplish- 
brown and umber. Surface of shell slightly granulate, and rather glossy. Under 
the lens minute pittings appear on the surface of the shell. The clutch measures 40- 
41mm. by 28, and was collected at Scone, New South Wales, on the 14th of October, 
1909, and placed 50 feet from the ground in a Forest Apple Tree ( Angophora ). 
Another clutch containing four eggs taken in the same district on the 18th of 
October, 1908, is swollen oval in shape, ground-colour of a beautiful salmon- 
brown, well blotched with cloudy markings of purplish-brown, pale reddish-brown 
and umber ; the markings becoming closely packed together at the larger end of 
each egg, except in specimen B where they cluster at the smaller end. Surface of 
shell slightly granular and very glossy. The clutch measures 28-30 mm. by 29. The 
nest was placed up 30 feet from the ground in a White Box ( Eucalyptus hemipJiloia). 
Another clutch of three taken at Belltrees on the 5th of October, 1909, is oval in 
shape, ground-colour creamy- white with a very faint pinkish tinge, marked lengthways 
with peculiar long narrow streaks and smears of purplish-brown and umber, well 
distributed all over each egg, and the general streaky character of the markings 
closely resembling those in some forms of the eggs of the common Black-backed 
Magpie ( Gymnorhina tibicen), and make this clutch of unusual interest on that 
account. There is absolutely no doubt as to the authenticity of the clutch, as 
well as two other similar clutches of this remarkable magpie-like character taken 
407 
