THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Australia, South Australia, Tasmania and islands. In your 4 Reference 
List ’ you correctly (in my view) restricted it to Tasmania and King Island, 
Bass Straits. Once since I came to reside at Devonport, S. fuliginosa arrived 
in numbers out of some of the forests and sat about on the fences right in 
the town boundaries as the cold weather was beginning. During my residence 
near Table Cape the same thing occurred one winter, these great birds sitting 
in dozens along a settler’s fence past which I used to ride daily. They were 
quite tame, which S. arguta never is, being a wary fellow. A friend who 
camped for some time on the west coast of our island, where the climate is 
excessively windy and wet, told me that S. fuliginosa was plentiful down 
there and that they used to trap and eat them ; having no fresh meat, the 
fowl made a welcome change. While 4 roughing ’ it in the bush, I have myself 
eaten them more than once, and found the younger birds quite palatable. 
Some friends, while in Mt. Arthur (Northern Tasmania) at Easter, had the 
opportunity of seeing both species of Strepera there. In the morning a pair 
was heard on the flats calling with a clanging note and very shy ; this was 
arguta with the broad white wing bar. At noon my friends reached a small 
clearing in forest country and came on considerably over one hundred birds 
in some large trees ( Fagus cunninghami) at the edge of the clearing ; the 
birds constantly changed from tree to tree, keeping up a 4 Kar-kar ’ note, 
and fairly tame. Some specimens were obtained and these had no white 
on under tail-coverts ; four of the tail-feathers had white tips, the two central 
feathers. This was the large black fuliginosa. Late in the afternoon these 
birds were on the ground feeding on small black crickets ; the specimens 
obtained, proved on dissection to have consumed, besides the crickets, a large 
quantity of the berries from native Pepper Trees.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor has sent me notes in which the above songs or calls are 
transposed, stating of this species that “ its call is a loud ringing note like 
the clang of a bell, uttered three times in succession,” 4 4 the bird is somewhat 
wary and rather swift on the wing, flying with an undulating motion” ; of 
arguta 44 fairly plentiful, generally seen singly or in pairs, and their notes 
distinct from those of S. fuliginosa , so that I could always be sure of the identity 
of the bird even if I did not see them.” 
Miss J. A. Fletcher has observed : 44 The Black Crow-Shrike ( Strepera 
fuliginosa) or, to use its local name, the Black Jay, is truly an inquisitive 
bird. Wandering about in flocks with loud discordant cries, it is certainly 
not welcomed when it appears. Bold and curious by nature, these 4 Jays ’ 
will sit on a fence post, with head cocked on one side, examining with grave 
deliberation any unusual event or object. A stone thrown at them only evokes 
one of their 4 calls,’ and perhaps a removal to the next post. They are very 
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