582 E. P. Ramsay. 



When the Eucalypti are in flower, they are frequented 

 by many species of honey-eating Parrots (Trieb ogloss i) 

 and otber birds. »Ho ney E a ters« (Meliphagidae), tbese 

 may remain to breed near the coast or leave as soon as 

 the flovvers on the trees fade — and proceed to other parts for 

 food. They resemble nomadic tribes wandering about the 

 country and setting down for the season where there is 

 most food to breed, for instance the Trichoglossi visit 

 the coast during the winter months during some years, 

 in the spring at others, or in the summ er should they 

 find that in the district in which they spent the winter there 

 was not likely to be sufficient food — if they come to us 

 on the coast in the winter time (from May to June) and 

 leave us, it is quite propable they may be found only 20 

 miles distant spread all over the country breed i ng. Some 

 species of Parrots, {Lathamus discolor) for instance, only Vi- 

 sits N. S. Wales once >in 5 to 10 years while in South 

 Australia they may be found almost all the year round — 

 there are usually a large percentage of y oung birds among 

 the flocks visiting N. S. W., but I have never found them 

 breeding here. I am now republishing my distribution list 

 of Australian Birds and in it I will notify such birds as are 

 nomadic and those two or three species which arrive 

 to US from other countries, such as Acanthyles caudacuta, 

 Glariola orientales. Another section of our birds never 

 leave the coast line and are to be found in our fields, and 

 gardens and shrubs all the year round. A 3*^ group only 

 visit US during very long droughts, the want of water 

 and food in the interior drive them towards the coast. 



These at such times arrive in countless numbers 

 and over-run the whole country, doing great damage to 

 the crops and may be taken by the band; these are usu- 

 ally water birds, waders, ducks, water hens, «Sic. The term 

 «migratory« as understood by European naturalists, does 

 not apply to any australian species, the term I 

 propose for these is »nomadic«, for they seldom remain 

 more than lour months in any district although they often 

 return year after year to the same breeding grounds re- 



