An Australian Bird Book Part 51

The Raven seems the more common bird, though most people will tell you there are no Ravens in their district.

The Apostle-Bird (Gray Jumper), and the White-winged Chough are two of Australia's "anomalous birds." Both go in flocks, so each has been called the "Twelve Apostles." However, the name has become attached to the Gray Jumper.

The White-winged Chough has no close relative in the world; possibly, the Chough that nests in the cliffs of Cornwall is nearest to it.

The Bell-Magpies (_Streperas_), perhaps better known as Black or Gray Magpies, are now receiving much notice, because of their position at the head of the bird-world. They are restricted to Australia, Tasmania, and Lord Howe Island. A good name is required for these birds, for, of course, they are not Magpies, though they have a white-tipped tail, and there is usually white in the wing, and about the base of the tail. They are fine, large birds, with a variety of notes.

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[Page 188b]

F. 164. CORVIDAE (5), CROWS, Rook, Raven, Jackdaw, Magpie (Br.), Jay, Nutcracker, Chough, 274 sp.--27(25)A., 73(58)O., 69(53)P., 15(9)E., 43(35)Nc., 73(65)Nl.

3 63

=387 Hazel-eyed Crow=, _Corvus coronoides_, A.

Nom. c. _open_, _timber_ 20

Black glossed with purple; white down; hazel eyes; f., smaller. Insects, carrion, fruit, not lambs.

=388 Small-billed Crow=, _C. bennetti_, W.N.S.W., V., S.A.

Like 387, but smaller; bill small; eye white; f., sim.

Insects, carrion. "Car" repeated.

Stat. v.r. _plains_ 18.5

=389 Australian Raven=, Crow (e), _C. marianae (Corone australis)_, A., T.

Nom. v.c. _plains_, _timber_ 20

Black glossed purple; throat feathers lanceolate, tinged green; down dusky-gray; eyes white; f., smaller, lanceolate feathers not so well developed. Locusts, caterpillars, omnivorous, destructive. "Loud, deep Gwar-gwar, varied with shrill, high-sounding Korr-Korr" (North).

1 1

=390* Apostle-Bird=, Gray Jumper, Twelve Apostles, _Struthidea cinerea_, N. Ter., E.A., S.A. (inland).

Stat. small flocks, r. _open timber_ 13

Gray; wings brown; bill, legs black; eye white; f., sim. Mud nest. Insects. Incessant chattering.

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[Ill.u.s.tration: [391] [392] [393] [394] [395]]

1 1

=391* White-winged Chough=, Black Magpie (e), Jay (e), Apostle-Bird (e), _Corcorax melanorhamphus_, E.A., S.A.

Stat. small flocks, c. _timber_ 16

Sooty black, white on wing only; eyes red; f., sim. Mud nest.

Insects, fruits, seeds. Low, mournful whistle.

F. 165. STREPERIDAE (7), BELL-MAGPIES, Streperas, Crow-Shrikes, 7 sp. A.

7 7

=392* Pied Bell-Magpie= (Crow-Shrike), Currawong. Mutton-Bird (e), _Strepera graculina_, E.A., Lord Howe Is.

Nom. r. _timber_ 18.5

Black; white patch on wing, upper base tail, under base tail, tip tail; eye yellow; f., smaller. Berries, fruit, insects.

=393 Black-winged Bell-Magpie= (Crow-Shrike), _S.

melanoptera_, V., S.A., Kangaroo Is.

Stat. v.r. _scrub_ 19

Black, white tip tail, under base tail; f., smaller. Insects.

=394* Gray Bell-Magpie= (Crow-Shrike), Gray Magpie, Rain-Bird, Squeaker, _S. versicolor (cuneicaudata)_, E.A.

Stat. v.c. _timber_, _orchard_ 19

Gray; white on wing, tip tail, under base tail; eye orange; f., sim. Insects, fruit. Loud, ringing notes.

"It's-going-to-rain." "Two and two are four." Cree-e-ling, cree-e-ling.

=395 Sooty Bell-Magpie= (Crow-Shrike), Black Magpie (e), _S.

fuliginosa_, E.A., S.A., T., Ba.s.s St. Is.

Stat. r. _timber_ 18

Sooty black; white in wing, tip tail; eye yellow; big bill black; f., sim. Insects, fruit.

This concludes a necessarily brief outline of the cla.s.sification of the Birds of Australia, and, incidentally, of the birds of the world, for, while the Emu is one of the most primitive of birds placed right at the foot, the Bell-Magpies (_Streperas_) are placed at the very summit of the avine tree.

Australians! Realize that you live in a land favored far beyond most as regards birds, and that you have a duty to perform in preserving as many as possible of these unique, interesting, and valuable forms for posterity. Teachers! Your influence is more potent than all the legislation. Bird lovers already freely acknowledge the fundamental change that has come over the schoolboy since the introduction of nature-study, and they look to you with confidence to extend greatly the good work of cultivating an interest and a pride in things Australian, for this interest will eradicate the once almost-universal, but now rapidly-disappearing, desire for slaughter of anything wearing a feather.

If women could be persuaded to come in line with the once destructive schoolboy in this respect, the bird lover and the well-wisher of his country would have further cause for gratification, and our beautiful birds a further enjoyment of a useful, indeed, often a necessary life, one necessary to the welfare of the agriculturist and the pastoralist, as well as of all dwellers in this fair, sunny land of ours.

Australians! Your wonderful Lyre-Birds, your marvellous Bower-Birds, your gorgeous Birds of Paradise, your Mound-Builders, your flute-noted Magpies, your charming Whistlers, your beautiful and intelligent c.o.c.katoos, your glorious Parrots--the pets of the bird world--your Superb-Warblers, your varied, valuable, and attractive Honey-eaters, and your giant Laughing-Kingfisher are here for your enjoyment and appreciation. No other people has your privilege of knowing these birds in their native state. On the other hand, you enjoy most of the privileges of dwellers in other lands, in addition to your own, for "every widely-spread family of birds but two is found in Australia.

The only notable absentees are Vultures and Woodp.e.c.k.e.rs." Be proud of your heritage, and pa.s.s it on uninjured. Though that, alas! is not possible, yet you may pa.s.s on at least the remnant that still survives the "blessings and advance of civilization."