THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
at Belltrees. The clutch measures 41-44 mm. by 29-30 ; surface of shell smooth, 
and slightly glossy. Of the clutch under notice, the nest was placed 45 feet up 
from the ground in a White Boxtree ( Eucalyptus hemiphloia). Another clutch of 
three, taken at Rous, Richmond River, New South Wales, on the 20th of October, 
1901, is swollen oval in shape ; ground-colour of a creamy-white, spotted and 
blotched with purplish-brown and light and dark umber, particularly about the 
larger end of each egg. Surface of shell smoothly granular, and with very little 
gloss. The clutch measures 40-41 mm. by 28. 
Nest. Is a large open structure composed of dead sticks, and well-lined inside, and usually 
very neatly lined with bark, rootlets, twigs, or dried grass. Diameter over all 15 to 
1 9 inches , by a depth over all of 6 inches. Egg cavity : diameter inside 6 to 6 J inches , 
depth inside 2| to 2f inches. 
Eggs. The eggs of this species are subject to variation in their colouring and general 
markings, as well as in size and shape. From two to four eggs usually form the 
clutch, but three are most frequently found. A clutch of three eggs, of the most 
usual variety met with, is of a pale olive-brown ground-colour, spotted and blotched 
with dull markings of very pale purplish-brown and umber, more closely set together 
about the larger end of each egg. Surface of shell smoothly granular, and slightly 
glossy, and minutely pitted all over. The clutch measures 39-40 mm. by 27- 
28. Taken at Coen, Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland, on the 5th of 
November, 1921. Nest placed 55 feet up from the ground in a Mountain Ash 
( Eucalyptus sps.). ( 8 . g. magnirostris.) Another clutch of four eggs, taken at Caen, 
Cape York Peninsula, North Queensland, on the 5th of November, 1921, is rather 
swollen oval in shape, ground-colour of a creamy-white, marked with small 
rounded spots of very pale ! purplish-brown and light to dark umber. Surface of 
shell smoothly granular and with very little gloss. The clutch measures 40-41 
mm. by 28-30. ( S . g. magnirostris.) 
Nest. Is rather a firmly built open structure, composed of dried sticks, and lined with a 
rather thick layer of rootlets and thin twigs, and sometimes dried grasses. Diameter 
across over all 16 to 18 inches ; depth over all 5f to 6| inches ; egg cavity across 
over all 8| inches, egg cavity inside diameter 6| inches, and depth inside 2| inches. 
(robinsoni.) 
Breeding-season. September to December or January. 
While Latham was preparing his Index Ornithologicus, a few interesting 
Australian birds came before him and these he included, although they had 
not been included in his General Synopsis of Birds. The present species is 
one of these and he named it Goracias strepera, giving a lengthy Latin descrip- 
tion with the locality “ Norfolk Island.” It does not, and apparently never 
did, inhabit that island, and Latham’s specimen undoubtedly came from 
Sydney, as did other birds also localised as from Norfolk Island. Simul- 
taneously, however, the bird was figured and described in White’s Journal 
of a Voyage to New South Wales under the name Corvus graculinus, and this 
name has been commonly accepted, apparently in the first instance to avoid 
tautonymy, though both publications were dated the same year. It is 
fortunate that there appears to be no doubt whatever that White’s book was 
published first, and consequently the customary name is valid. 
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