xn A'ESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



a " N;uTative of the Vo3'age,'' which was an accoimt of a sm-veymg cniise 

 of about foiu- yeaa-s (1846-50), in the rich region of the Cape York 

 Peninsula aud contiguous localities, and included his own original field 

 notes, graphically written, of the finding of rare and new Australian birds. 



J. R. Elsey (afterwards Dr., I believe), who accompanied the Gregory 

 Brothers' Expedition, did pioneer collecting in the rough north-west. 



The Ramsay Brothers, of Sydney, may be said to have gathered the 

 first Australian oological collection, wliich became known as the " Dob- 

 royde " Collection. It was of great value and interest as a pioneer one, 

 but to comj>are it (if it is still intact) with the splendid and more recent 

 collections would possibly be to over-rate it. Dr. E. P. Ramsay bccAmo 

 the' clever ciu-ator of the Australian Museum, Sydney, but, unfortunately, 

 just as he was gaining fame in the oniithological world, he was retii-ed on 

 account of ill-health. It was as if liis sun had set while it was yet noon, 

 for all had hoped to see Dr. Ramsay amongst Australian ornithologists 

 what Baa-on von Mueller was amongst botanists. 



Kendall Broadbent, the veteran collector, now attached to the 

 Queensland Museum, has traversed the whole of Eastern Australia, 

 including Tasmania, after specimens. His principal trips and dates 

 thereof are : — Portland Bay (18.58) ; Gippsland (1862) ; Brisbane Sciiibs 

 (1864); Dai-ling Downs (1865); Cai-dwell and "Maria" Expedition to 

 New Guinea (1873) ; Cape York, Gulf of Cai-pentaria and New Guinea 

 (1874-75); Cairns and New Guinea (1878-9); Tasmania and South 

 Australia (1879-80); five trips to Cardwell (between 1880-90); Chai-le- 

 ville (1883) ; Cape York and Gulf of Cai-pentaria (1883-4) ; BarcaJdine 

 and Central Queensland (1887); and Bcllenden-Ker Range (1889). 



What a delightful education the sum total of these bush experiences 

 must have been to Mr. Broadbent ! Though not 'an Australian by birth, 

 Mr. Bx-oadbent was reared in Victoria. He enjoys the reputation of 

 being an indefatigable collector, never giving up tlie chase, night or day, 

 if he can attain the specimen sought after. 



Another old and respected collector is George Masters, curator of the 

 Macleayan collection, Sydney Univoi-sity. 



Dr. George Bennett, in his interesting work, "Gatherings of a 

 Natiu-alist in Australia" (1860), furnishes field observations of many 

 familiar birds ; while " Old Bushman," wi-ote the pleasant little volume, 

 " Bush Wanderings of a Naturalist" (1861). 



" Old Bushman," otherwise Horace William Wheelwright (son of an 

 English clergyman), was educated and practised as a solicitor. From 



