6 BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 



These remarks might have been greatly prolonged ; but I 

 think sufficient has been said in the way of introduction to 

 the subject which has to follow, a short succinct account of 

 the Birds of Australia (a kind of handbook to my large 

 illustrated work), in which I shall confine my remarks to the 

 birds of the Australian continent, Tasmania, and those 

 islands of the Great Barrier Reef which properly belong to 

 Australia. 



The history of the various species will be given in nearly 

 the same order as in the folio edition, and will commence 

 with the Raptores or birds of prey, to which will succeed 

 the Insessores, or perching-birds ; these will be followed by 

 the Rasores, or Pigeons, the feebly represented Gallinaceae, 

 Quails, Partridges, &c. ; then the Grallatores, or Plovers, 

 Sandpipers, Ibises, Herons, &c. ; and, lastly, the Natatores, 

 which comprise all the various water-birds. This, however, 

 is not to be regarded as a natural arrangement, but as one 

 which offers great facilities for the study of the avifauna of a 

 single country. 



