INTRODUCTION. 



The purpose of this handbook is to foster an interest in the 

 insectivorous birds of our colony, and to aid in the pro- 

 tection of them. To attain that end the subject has been 

 fashioned in a manner which I trust will appear homely. 

 Foreign words have been rendered simple, and no special 

 scientific arrangement has been adopted. The diversity of 

 the diet of our birds has induced me to place them under 

 separate heads, and a short account of their habits, food, 

 nest, eggs, and geographical distribution in Australia and 

 Tasmania has been given. In certain cases, as the Swift, 

 Roller, Grass- Warbler, Halcyon, Merops, Black Fan-tail, 

 and Cuckoo-Shrikes, the birds also appear further north, 

 but nearly all belong to the Australian sub-region. The 

 numerals under geographical distribution are explained in 

 the reference map, and the areas adopted are based upon 

 Professor Spencer's scheme of faunal sub-regions of the 

 Australian region. This will show over what portions of 

 the continent our birds are to be found. A plate of a bird 

 is given, to show the more important external characters 

 used in the description of a species ; and to recognize them 

 in the field, and the economic value of the bird, a pair of field- 

 glasses will be found to be invaluable. On a special page are 

 provided cross references to the valuable charts of the 

 insectivorous birds of Victoria and their eggs, to be issued 

 at an early date by the Education Department, Victoria. 



