104 Lord, A Trip to the National Park of Tasmania. risf"oct 



away to the horizon stretched mountain range upon mountain 

 range, while overhead soared the king of our avifauna — an 

 immense Wedge-tailed Eagle [UroaHiis audax). The secret of 

 this bird's flight aroused much speculation as with apparently 

 motionless wings it soared into the valley and then rose again 

 to carry out a further aerial reconnaissance with the object of 

 more closely inspecting the strange group of animals who had dared 

 to invade its mountain kingdom. And so the trail led on until 

 we reached the cairn of Mount Field West, 4,721 feet above sea- 

 level, and from whence, on the western side, there is a sheer fall 

 of 3,000 feet to the Florentine Valley below. The view from the 

 cairn is surpassing grand — it is the dernier cri of all the magnificent 

 outlooks in the Park — and one obtains a splendid vista of the 

 jumbled but intensely picturesque mass of Tasmania's south- 

 western mountain system. Space forbids further mention here 

 except to note the solitary example of bird-life seen on the 

 plateau near the cairn. This was no less than an example of 

 the Australian Pipit (Ground-Lark) {Anthits australis), and the 

 little bird seemed quite astray in its loneliness upon the highest 

 portion of the Park. After spending as long as possible at Mount 

 Field West we returned across boulder-covered ridge and flower- 

 covered moor to our camp at Lake Fenton. 



As we were lulled to sleep by the ripple of the water in the creek 

 which flows from the lake, and by the call of the Spotted Owl 

 {Ninox maculata), one thought of the great possibihties which lie 

 ahead for this National Park. Stretching as it does 12 miles 

 from east to west, and being in places 6 miles wide, it embraces 

 all characters of country, from the densely-wooded gullies of. the 

 lowlands to the snow-swept peaks of the mountains. In the 

 present instance a hurried examination of a small section of the 

 area only was possible, which accounts for the comparatively 

 small number of species observed. As further exploring trips 

 are undertaken, and also when the animals realize that the Park 

 is a sanctuary in fact as well as name, it is certain that the greater 

 portion of our Tasmanian species will be found in the reserve. 

 Here, well guarded, they will be allowed to breed in peace among 

 a true section of the original Tasmanian bush. Here also, it is 

 hoped, will be found the naturalists who will study the habits of 

 our fauna and make many of the details concerning the lives 

 of our feathered friends available to nature students. 



Remarks upon Species Observed. 



[The nomenclature is in accordance with the R.A.O.U. " Check- 

 list," 191 3. The name according to G. M. Mathews's " List of the 

 Birds of Australia," 191 3, when it differs, follows in parentheses.] 



Anas superclliosa (A. s. rogersi). Australian Black Duck. — A single 

 specimen was observed by Ranger Belcher on one of the lakes. 



Phalacrocorax carbo (P. c. novaehollandiae). Black Cormorant. — 

 Several were seen along the Russell Falls River and also on the 



