THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
above ground. Some were old nests, the remainder contained young birds. 
The nests were on each side of the high road and only fifty yards from it and, 
the country being flat, were visible more than a mile away. On May 14,1901, 
my attention was attracted by a flock of about two hundred of these birds 
making a great fuss in the tops of some White-Gum trees on a creek inland 
from Point Cloates. Upon approaching the scene, I found the birds were 
feeding on swarms of dragon-flies with which the air was full just there. Upon 
examination of many birds shot between December and April in various years 
I found that the irides of the birds of the year were partly hazel-brown and 
partly white, evidently in the transition stage to the pearly-white of the adult. 
July 18, 1900 : Two young in nest, almost ready to fly, had slate-blue irides, 
and on July 21, 1900, one fledgling stfll in the nest had also slate-blue irides. 
The breeding-season is usually from early June until September; the earhest 
date, June 28, 1900 (record wet year), when seven eggs were found in 
a nest, the usual clutch being three to five. July 15, 1899: Four eggs. 
July 21, 1900 : Young in nest. Aug. 8, 1887: Three eggs just hatching. 
Sept. 5, 1911: Young in nest. Oct. 9, 1895: Half-grown young in nest.” 
Le Souef wrote : “ It is not difficult as a rule to separate Crow’s 
eggs from those of the Raven, on account of their lighter colour, especially 
in the extreme north, although, so far, I have received no eggs or skins 
of Ravens from Northern Australia.” 
Berney’s note from the Richmond district, North Queensland, reads: 
“ The Crows flock in winter and nest in summer. I have seen a nest of fully 
fledged young on 29th November. My notes of eggs or young extend thence 
up to 24th March, on which day I examined a nest contauung three squabs 
and two eggs, the latter just hatching.” 
Cornwall has written from Mackay, North Queensland: “It would be 
hard to persuade the sheep-farmer of the western country that the Crow is a 
blessing to man, but in the coastal districts of Queensland they should certainly 
be afforded aU the protection possible. They devour enormous numbers of 
cane-grubs and beetles, and often may be observed amongst the selectors’ cattle, 
chmbing over them in their search for that scourge of the north, the cattle tick.” 
Hill wrote from Kimberley, North-western Australia: “ Were seen in all 
the localities I visited, including the islands. Locusts and lizards only were 
found in the crops. 
Measurements : d Wing 3G2, tarsus 62, bill 57, tail 204 mm. 
? Wing 350, tarsus 64, bill 51, tail 190 mm.” 
Hill then recorded on his journey across Austraha: Corvus coronoides, 
collected at Tundi-eji. Adult ?. Wing 310, tarsus 61, bill 48, tail 177 mm. 
Irides white, feet and bill black.” And from Borroloola: “Fairly numerous. 
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