QUEENSLAND and NORTHERN TERRITORY 25 



Trans-Continental — New Guinea to Spencer Gulf, 



S.A. 

 Annual and regular in the State — North and South, 



both coastal and inland. 

 Periodic and irregular — West to East in time of 



big drought. 

 Nomadic in the Western part of the State in times 



of minor droughts. 

 Coastal — insular: summer season. 



So far as Australia is concerned, luxurious 

 Queensland has sent over a large number of its 

 species. Thus population has got to Victoria in 

 the south, and the Northern Territory in the west. 

 Out from this right angle a number of desert birds 

 have gained their origin. They are the Eyrean 

 species or races, while the coastal birds are the 

 line of Tasmanian species. 



In such a season as the present one, Queensland 

 is magnificently grassed, and the Grass Finches 

 multiply to an extent that gives a special feature 

 to the fauna of the Commonwealth. 



A dry spell coming, these great flocks make for 

 higher ground with water and food. The water 

 sheds are so arranged in the inner part of the 

 north-eastern half as to be an asylum for millions 

 of birds in dry seasons, and to an extent we can 

 scarcely realise. They come in from the Diamen- 

 tina, Thomson, Barcoo and Warrego parched 

 country, sadly worn and needing the change. 



