Ornithological Discovery in Australia. 85 



I would here summarize the new discovery above treated 

 of, so that the worker who is too busy to wade tlirongh the 

 preceding can grasp the gist of this communication witli the 

 least possible trouble. 



Cape York is the extreme north-east point of Australia, 

 and is separated from New Guinea by shallow water. The 

 avifauna of Cape York is well known, over a dozen collectors 

 having worked there. The bird-life shows strong affinity 

 with that of New Guinea, many typical New Guinea forms 

 being found, usually separable only as subspecies. No 

 peculiar genera exist. 



The Bellenden Ker district has also been well worked, and 

 the affinities of this district are with New Guinea, though it 

 is five hundred and fifty miles away. Three peculiar well- 

 marked genera have been recorded, marking a characteristic 

 fauna, while the presence of Casuarius is noteworthy. 



The first collection made at the Pascoeand Claudie Rivers 

 only some hundred and fifty miles south of Cape York, has 

 revealed an avifauna with a marked New Guinea relationship, 

 and already showing a peculiar genus. The birds so collected 

 are remarkable for their size and conspicuous nature, two 

 being Parrots, one of them very large. The discoverer 

 Ijclieves that other new and large birds are still to be found. 

 None of the novelties occurs in any other portion of Australia, 

 and all are quite absent from Cape York. 



I would account for this peculiar isolated avifauna by the 

 suggestion of former depression of the extreme point of 

 Cape York, and later elevation above its present level, and 

 subsequent gradual subsidence. Such an hypothesis would 

 also account for the Bellenden Ker avifauna, as the peculiar 

 forms are mainly highland forms, and are probably related 

 to other slightly distinct forms now inhabiting the highlands 

 of New Guinea. 



New Guinea, ornithologically speaking, covers three 

 distinct avifaunas, and recent workers on New Guinea birds 

 have failed to recognise this fact, though commonly recording 

 facts endorsing this conclusion without recognising it. 



