1^2 Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union. [isf'^jaii. 



Of these, three — the Swan, Helena, and Canning — flow into the 

 Swan River estuary. The Serpentine, further south, flows into 

 the Murray River jiist before the latter enters another large 

 estuary, the Peel Inlet. The Gingin Brook, on the northern 

 boundary of the district, flows into the Moore River just before the 

 latter enters the sea. Along the banks of these rivers various 

 trees occur which are not found on the more open plains. 



The accompanying sketch map (fig. i) indicates the features 

 referred to. 



IV. — Gener.\l Rem.\rks on the Birds. 



Up to the present igi species of birds have been met with in 

 the region described above, and of these 126 are believed to IxV 

 resident. One former resident, the Ground-Parrot, is now extinct 

 in the district, but three species have been acchmatized — \\7.., 

 the Laughing Jackass [Dacelo gigas), and the Indian and Senegal 

 Turtle Doves, all of which are firmly estabUshed. Other intro- 

 duced birds which have escaped from confinement, but have not 

 become estabhshed, have not been included in the hst. 



Many of the resident birds receive great accessions to their 

 numbers in the winter, and it is not very easy to decide in every 

 case whether a bird should be regarded as a true resident when it 

 is not known to breed in the district. There seems httle doubt 

 that the number of residents is still increasing. The union of 

 south-western AustraUa with the rest of the continent is still 

 probably recent in a geological sense, and the former island of 

 the south-west is probably still being stocked with birds. Almost 

 certainly the Black-breasted Plover, White-necked Heron, and 

 Straw-necked Ibis are recent arrivals, and it is to be hoped that 

 shortly the White Egret may be added to our list of residents. 

 It is to be hoped that the Starling and Sparrow will not manage 

 to reach the south-west by the overland route now open. 



Of the visitors, 40 may be regarded as fairly regular, though 

 a great deal more study will have to be devoted to them before 

 we have a proper understanding of their movements. The Long- 

 billed Cockatoo, which was formerly a regular winter visitor to 

 the district, is now extinct, though still found further north. 

 Six species arrive in the spring and breed in the district — viz., 

 the Australian Bee-eater, four species of Cuckoo, and the White- 

 shouldered Caterpillar-eater. Eight species which breed in the 

 northern hemisphere are also regular summer visitors to the 

 district — viz., Turnstone, Golden Plover, Curlew, Common Sand- 

 piper, Greenshank, Little Stint, Sharp-tailed Stint, and Curlew- 

 Sandpiper — whilst the W^ood -Sandpiper and W^hite-rumped 

 Swift, also northern breeders, have each occurred once. Probably 

 further observation will show that other northern waders some- 

 times visit the district. 



The regular winter visitors, like the summer visitors, fall into 

 two classes. Seven sea-birds which breed further south, either on 

 the Australian coast or in tlir .Xntarctic rc-gions, are found on 



