n8 Hall, The Easlevn Palccarclica and Australia. [ist^'oct 



gathering their forces in the flying south. There was no doubt 

 of the set of this increasing migratory hue. The birds joined in 

 numerous Uttle lots, while all day long they added and still flew 

 south. This immense damp plain, the coming snow-field of, say, 

 J, 000 miles across Asia, just wonderfully impressed me by the 

 little I saw of it — Ruffs starting off for Africa, Stints for Australia, 

 (ieese for Malaysia, and Plovers (Grey) for everywhere. Australia 

 would soon receive its feathered millions from the Lena — birds 

 that must leave : Robber Gulls, Terns, and other Gulls, Limicoline 

 birds, and, on rare occasions, the Passeres of old. These all must 

 leave the polar flats and cedar forests before the air of 60 minus 

 Fahrenheit sets down upon them. The fine balancing of rations 

 moves them over Further India to the greater Australia, India 

 keeping the perching millions, passing on to us the shore and 

 sundry birds — the travellers of September. In April the homing 

 instinct would re-assert itself, and once again, by brain and eye, 

 these birds of passage would connect the north and south — the 

 Palaearctic and Australian Regions. 



A Trip to the National Park of Tasmania at 

 Mount Field. 



By Clive E. Lord, R.A.O.U. (Curator of the Tasmanian Museum, 

 Hobart). 



Tasmania is the fortunate possessor of a National Park, which has 

 now been enlarged until it embraces an area of approximately 

 38,500 acres. It is to serve as a sanctuary for our native fauna 

 and flora for all time. As a member of the Board entrusted with 

 its development, it is my privilege to pay occasional visits to this 

 locality. On some occasions we extend our tours to the highlands 

 of the mountain plateau, but, as at present a considerable part 

 of the journey has to be made over rough bush tracks, this portion 

 is left to the more active members. One of these trips was made 

 recently, and a few notes concerning the bird-life observed may 

 prove of interest. 



Leaving Hobart by the 4.30 p.m. train on Friday, 29th January, 

 we reached National Park station (500 feet above sea-level) at 

 dusk, after having travelled about 50 miles. Most of the journey 

 was through the orchards and hop-fields of the Derwent Valley, 

 which afford such picturesque scenes to the traveller by this 

 route, more especially so when seen in the calm of a summer's 

 evening. 



We stayed the night at the accommodation house, and after 

 lireakfast next morning the ranger and his assistants joined our 

 party. Our impedimenta was secured on pack-horses, for a pack 

 track has alre'ady been constructed for about four miles up Mount 

 Field. Upon entering the park the first bird noted was a single 



