210 AUSTRALIAN BIRD MAPS 



The Purple-crowned Lorikeet is a good example 

 of a strong quick flying bird that could easily take 

 a northern course from Queensland to West Aus- 

 tralia, but has not done so. The Ground Parrot 

 (Pezoporus) has travelled from near the border of 

 coastal Queensland around Port Phillip and Port 

 Augusta to the port of Perth. The Field Wrens 

 (Calamanthus) not only take the coastal course of 

 expansion but in addition they have worked inward 

 from Port Augusta to Lake Eyre. 



The general tendency of all these birds of the 

 east is to become paler in the west, excepting the 

 few confined to the wet forests of Southern Queens- 

 land and South-west Australia, e.g. Bristle Bird 

 (Sphenura). 



THE GREAT INTERIOR 

 (Plate 3, Fig. 92) 



The vast hot furthest back country of this island- 

 continent is a land of nomads, living under con- 

 ditions more or less desert like, suitable only to the 

 fit. Under this head are placed in the text of map 

 92 examples of capables weathering through great 

 stress of drought. More often than not they are 

 short of food and living under the necessity of 

 travelling long distances on short notice. 



It is rather wonderful that so frail a bird as the 

 Wren-Warbler is able to live for months in a 

 waterless land, getting its drink in its food, and 



