BIRDS OF THE OPEN FOREST 
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nest. A deep, bowl-shaped structure, composed of sticks and twigs; 
neatly lined with fibrous roots, coarse grasses, bark-fibre, cow-hair, 
wool, or other soft material. Usually built in an upright forked branch 
of a tall tree, at heights up to 60 feet from the ground. 
eggs. Three to five, usually four; the ground colour varies from 
greenish-blue to dull bluish-white, or from reddish-grey to dull brown, 
almost obscured with streaks, scratches, and smears of reddish or 
chestnut-brown, and underlying markings of darker shades of the 
ground colour. Breeding-season: July to February. 
9. White-winged Chough Corcorax mdanorhamphus Vieillot 
Cor'-cor-ax— Gk, corax, crow, raven: mel'-an-o-rham'-phus—G k, melas 
(melanos), black; Gk, rhamphos, bill. 
distribution. Southern Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, 
and South Australia. 
notes. Also called Jackdaw, Black Magpie, Black Jay, Apostle-bird, 
and Mutton-bird. Usually in small flocks; it spends most of its time on 
the ground, and when disturbed, rises with harsh grating cries of 
alarm. Flops about in the trees from limb to limb, spreading and 
elevating its tail in a peculiar manner. The call-note is a low mournful 
whistle. Food: chiefly insects and their larva:; occasionally soft 
cultivated fruits. 
nest. A large, bowl-shaped structure, composed of mud reinforced 
with grass; lined with fur, dried grasses, strips of bark-fibre, or wool. 
Usually built on a horizontal branch of a tree, at various heights from 
the ground. Generally three or more birds help in the construction of 
the nest, while two females may lay in the same nest. 
eggs. Five to seven, sometimes nine, pale creamy-white, spotted 
and blotched with olive-brown, blackish-brown, and slate-grey mark¬ 
ings. Breeding-season: August to December. 
10. Black-winged Currawong (Bell-magpie) Strepera melanoptera 
Gould 
Strep'-er-a—L., strepere, to make a noise: mel'-an-op'-tera—G k, melas 
(melanos), black; Gk, pteron, wing. 
distribution. North-western Victoria (Mallee), South Australia, 
and Kangaroo Island. 
notes. Usually singly or in pairs; frequents timbered country in the 
breeding-season, and in the autumn and winter months more open 
areas Call-note, a loud ringing whistle, usually uttered while on the 
wing. Food: chiefly insects; it is also destructive in orchards. 
nest. A large, open structure, composed of sticks; lined with bark 
and grasses. Usually built in perpendicular forks near the extremity of 
a branch—a very difficult nest to get at. 
eggs. Two or three, varying from a pale huffy-white to rich vinous- 
brown freckled, streaked, and blotched with shades of brown; some 
have tlie markings uniform, in others they predominate at the larger 
end, often forming a cap. Breeding-season: September and October. 
