PREFACE, 



OBSERVATION shows the southern half of our continent 

 to contain the majority of birds as common to the 

 whole of it. Further, that they are particularly strong in 

 New South Wales with one wave of exjDansion westward 

 through South Austraha into Western Australia, and a second 

 through Victoria into Tasmania. Thus I am. tempted to 

 bring together the useful birds of the southern part of the 

 continent — those species south of a line drawn from Brisbane 

 on the east to Shark's Bay on the w^est, excepting the sub- 

 tropical area immediately south of Brisbane. 



The scheme of distribution is still based upon that laid 

 down by Professor Baldwin Spencer, C.M.G., F.R.S., who, 

 in the initial stage, thoughtfully suggested to me the 

 possibility of birds being distributed along the lines laid down 

 for mammals. Valuable help in this direction is periodically 

 rendered by The Emu, the journal of the Australasian Ornith- 

 ologists' Union. To all lovers of nature I commend the 

 careful reading of this work. 



The derivations and accents are based upon the contri- 

 bution of Professor T. G. Tucker, Litt. D., to the " Key to the 

 Birds of Australia." I lay much value upon this portion of 

 the work, following, as it does, the finding and the placing of 

 a species. 



