RAPTORES. 77 



the bill with the shafts and tips black ; head and all the 

 upper siu'face brown, the scapularies and secondaries nume- 

 rously spotted with white ; tail brown, crossed by irregular 

 bands of a lighter tint, which become nearly white on the 

 outer feathers ; chest and all the under surface brown, 

 blotched and spotted with tawny and white ; primaries 

 brown, crossed with bands of a lighter tint; thighs tawny 

 buffi bill dark horn-colour ; irides yellow ; feet yellowish. 



I have now enumerated all the Raptorial Birds of Australia 

 at present known ; but I have no doubt that when the northern 

 portions of that great country have been duly explored their 

 number will be greatly increased ; indeed such a result may 

 be looked for with a degree of certainty ; especially with regard 

 to the family we have just left — the Strigidae — for there is no 

 knowing what Owls exist in the brushes of the Cape York 

 district, or those of the north coast lying immediately oppo- 

 site that terra incognita. New Guinea and its numerous islands. 

 Where insect life is abundant, small quadrupeds and birds are 

 sure to occur in sufficient numbers to keep them in check or 

 within the necessary bounds. The next Order — the Insessores 

 — which commences with the Caprimulgidcs, will afford ample 

 evidence of this being always the case, for in no other country 

 is there a greater proportion of insectivorous birds, and cer- 

 tainly none in which nocturnal species, such as the Podargi, 

 are more numerous. 



