CRACTICUS ARGENTEUS, Gould.
Silvery-backed Butcher-Bird.
Cracticus argenteus, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part VIII. p. 126.
Examples of this new species were discovered on the north coast of Australia, both by Captain Grey and B. Bynoe, Esq., to the latter of whom I am indebted for one of the specimens from which my figures were taken.
The Cracticus argenteus is directly intermediate in size between Cracticus destructor and Cracticus nigrogularis, and moreover exhibits a remarkable participation in the colouring of those two species; having the white throat and chest of the former, and the parti-coloured wings, conspicuous white rump, and white-tipped tail of the latter; it differs, however, from both, as well as from all the other members of the genus, in the light or silvery grey colouring of the back, and hence the term of argenteus has been applied to it.
No account of its habits has yet been received, but they doubtless resemble those of the other species of the genus.
Crown of the head, ear-coverts, shoulders, primaries, and all the tail-feathers for three-fourths of their length from the base, black; back silvery grey; throat, all the under surface, sides of the neck, some of the wing-coverts and the margins of several of the secondaries, rump, and tips of the tail-feathers pure white; bill horn-colour; feet blackish brown.
The figures are of the natural size.