TASMANIA 163 



It is remarkable that the Tasmanian and New 

 Zealand cormorants have their origin in the Antarc- 

 tic as well as in the northern hemisphere. One 

 species is found all the way between Sharks Bay 

 and Stewart Island. 



The two species of Oyster catchers are common 

 to each. Though the Bustard and Crane are found 

 in Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland 

 neither occurs in Tasmania nor in New Zealand. 



The true quail (Coturnix) found in Tasmania 

 has become, extinct in New Zealand. The Tas- 

 manian Dusky Fantail is darker in New Zealand, 

 and, spreading rapidly it is pressing out the earlier 

 fantail. 



The White-eye (Zosterops) has been a long time 

 in Tasmania and is a recent introduction to New 

 Zealand. The Pipit is an older resident in the 

 Dominion, and is losing the power of flight on the 

 small islands. Long isolation is working a more 

 wonderful change in the birds of New Zealand than 

 in the modern and accessible Tasmania. 



EMUS (Dromaeidae), dromos, a running; eidos, 



form 

 1. Extinct; 2. Living. 



Many centuries ago when adult emus were small 

 they were flying birds. For reasons unknown to us 

 they took to themselves a ground life, and lost the 

 use of their wing muscles. Their wings dwarfed 

 and their bodies grew to a huge size. 



