THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
hue at first, darkening Avith age. The young are fed on caterpillars, young 
grasshoppers, and other insects. During one drought season, when dead sheep 
were plentiful, the young Ravens apparently Avere fed upon dipterous larvae, 
and the stench Avhich assailed our nostrils Avhen the crops were opened did not 
tempt us to pursue our investigations further in that direction.” 
Mr. F. E. HoAve has AATitten me : “ Corvus coronoides was very plentiful 
all tlirough the Mallee and many nests, all containing young, Avere noticed in 
Oct. 1909. Corone australis is very plentiful all about the plains near Melbourne. 
They have been observed nesting at Parwon, Little RiA'^er, and Whittlesea, 
also at Ringwood.” 
This reads as though the Mallee birds Avere distinct from the southern 
Victorian Ravens. 
klr. E. J. Christian states : “In this part CroAVS are very common, in fact, 
too common, and are often seen with Ravens. The Crow differs from the 
Raven chiefly in two aspects, firstly he has a Avhite skin round the eye, and 
secondly the base of his plumage is Avhite AAdiile that of the Raven is dark 
brown.” This may simply be the general features commonly giA^en. 
Littler has Avritten from Tasmania : “ Raven. Too plentiful to be appre¬ 
ciated. Called by everyone ‘ Crows.’ I took particular care to examine 
every specimen I could lay my hands on—quite a number—and found them 
to be in every instance Ravens.” 
Dove, a little later, Avrote: “ There seems to be an impression abroad in 
many quarters that the CroAV {Corone australis Gould) is not found in Tasmania, 
but that all our birds are Ravens {Corvus coronoides V. and H.). . . . Recently 
I have examined five or six specimens from this district (Launceston) (some 
in the presence of Mr. H. C. Thompson) and all had snow-white bases to the 
feathers. Has any Tasmanian specimen been found AAuth the dark feather 
bases ? ” 
I think the explanation of this difference of opinion is that old “ Ravens ” 
have pale, nearly Avhite bases to the feathers of the back of the neck, but these 
birds have dusky bases to the body-feathers. 
j\Iellor and White, reporting upon the Birds of Flinders Islands, included 
“ Corvus australis {tasmanicus). Tasmanian RaA^en. Many Ravens Avere seen 
flying high over the island. As soon as specimens Avere secured, Mr. Mathews 
was supported in his maldng a subspecific distinction, because the great size 
of the bill is evident at once in the Tasmanian form.” 
Captain S. A. White has made several notes as to the difficulty he has had 
in distinguishing them, but OAving to their Avary nature long series have never 
been collected. Thus, in the report of his Trip to the GaAvler Ranges, he 
included: “Crows seen in many places, but Avere very difficult to approach. 
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