Vol. XXII. 

 1922 



CLELAXD, Takiiuj a Bird Census. 21 



Turning now to the hirds reccjided, the vahie of the records 

 will depend on several factors. It has already been mentioned 

 that some birds, by sitting "tight," give results far below the 

 actual numbers present. Others of migratory habits, such as 

 Bee-eaters {Merops) and Wood-Swallows (Artanius supercili- 

 osiis and .1. perso)iatus) may be seen in numbers or not seen at 

 all according to the time of year. Other si)ecies, Water Fowl, 

 for exami)le, are strictly confined to certain types of country. 

 Some species — cjj., \\'elcome Swallows (Hirundo neoxena) are 

 rarely seen away from the habitations of man. Again, a single 

 large Hock of birds {e.(/., White Cockatoos) seen once on a 

 journey, may give a wrong idea of the distribution of the species 

 when compared with such a widely distributed species as the 

 Black and White Fantail (Rhipidiira Icucophrys) never seen in 

 tlocks. To overcome this last dit^culty, I have kept a record in 

 my notes, but have not reproduced here, of every instance in 

 which the number of birds seen at one time has reached double 

 figures. The JMartins seen in journeys G. 40 (229) and G 41 

 i 1275 ) were, for instance, in large grou])s as follow^s : — 22, 25, 37, 

 n, 11, 11, 12 and 25, 33, 14, 38, 12, 90, 10, 13, about 150, 136, 

 40, 10, 18, 75, 250, 177, 31, 15, 30, 36, respectively. 



In the 1329| miles traversed, approximately 160 species of 

 Australian birds and 13,469 individuals of these species were 

 noted. In addition, 1097 Sparrows, 903 Starlings, and 118 Gold 

 Finches were counted. 



The most widely and uniformly distributed Australian species 

 was the JNIagpie-Lark (Gralliiia cyaiiolcttca), being seen on 80 

 journeys out of 95 in eight of the eleven districts, the individuals 

 totalling 765. .\s this is a conspicuous bird, easily identified and 

 easily disturbed, this figure is probably one of the most accu- 

 rate in the tables. In the districts where it commonly occurs, 

 one would expect to see one of these birds in a little less than 

 every two miles. 



Next in wide and uniform distril)ution comes the P4ack and 

 White Fantail (Rhipidiira leiicoplirys), 317 individuals being 

 seen on 69 journeys in nine districts. 



One is glad to see the Magpie — White or Black-back — 

 (Gymnorhina tihicen or G. Jiypoleiica) figuring in 66 of the 95 

 journeys, with 565 individuals. \\^alking along our roads, we 

 may expect to meet with one of these birds in a little less than 

 every 2\ miles. As this is a conspicuous bird, easily recognised 

 at a distance, the field of vision for it may be considered on an 

 average as being nearly a quarter of a mile on each side of the 

 road — sometimes of course more, but in forest land less. One 

 may therefore estimate that the 1329^ miles over which they 

 were seen comprised an area for vision of about 600 square 

 miles, and that this extent of country w-as tenanted by at least 

 565 Magpies, or 1 to a little over 1 square mile. As their dis- 

 tribution is wide and relatively uniform, it is perhaps safe to 

 say that in Eastern Australia (leaving out the drier interior), the 



