BY E. P. RAMSAY, ESQ. 311 



Most of the Old World birds are beautifully represented 

 with us : The Merlin and Kestrel of Europe, by our Falco 

 frontatus and Tinnunculus cenchroides. The European Osprey, 

 by Pandion leucocephalus ; the sparrow-hawk, (Accipiter nisus) 

 by our bird of the same genus, Accipiter torquatus, which is 

 found throughout the whole of Australia. We also have our 

 Plovers, and Dottrells, one Avocet, and one stilted Plover. 

 Among the Water-birds, the Grebes and Cormorants of Europe 

 are also well represented by Phalacrocorax carboides, Podiceps 

 gularis, and P. Australis. 



In addition to having most of the European genera repre- 

 sented with us, few countries can boast of so many distinct genera 

 peculiar to itself as Australia, such, for instance, as ^Eyotheles, 

 Pardalotus, Strepera, Gymnorhina, Grallina, Pteropodocys, 

 Paclnjcepliala, Colluncincla, Falcunculus, Oreoica, Menura, 

 Psophodes, Origma, Malurus, Pyrrholcemus, Struthidea, Ptilonor- 

 liynclius, Chlamydera, Licmetis, Calyptorhynchus, Platycercus, 

 Eupliema, Nymphicus, ScytJirops, Myzantha, Anthochcera, 

 Entomyza, Sittella, Climacteris, Leipoa, Pedionomus, Talegalla, 

 Tribonyx, Cereopsis, Anseranas, and Biarittra, &c., &c. 



Some species are universally dispersed over the whole 

 country, from North and Western Australia to Yan Dieman's 

 Land, as Corvus Coronoides, Iclitliijaetus leiicogaster, Milviis affinis, 

 Chelidon arborea, Phaps chalcoptera. The Emu, (Dromaius 

 SorcB Hollandice) and the Bronze cuckoo, (Clialcits lucidus,) a 

 migratory species, which also pays an annual visit to New 

 Zealand. Others again are, as far as is yet known, confined to 

 particular parts. 



In New South Wales we have Aquila, ? Horpliridides, Podaargus 

 humeralis, Enjtlrrodryas rosea, Eopsaltria australis, Menura 

 superba, Psophodes crepitans, Nalurus Lamberti, Eptliianura tricolor 

 Origma rubricata. Polytelis barrabandi, &c. In South 

 Australia, Malurus melanotus, Ptilotis cratitia, X&rophila 

 leucopsis, and both Western Australia and North Australia have 

 also birds peculiar to those parts. 



In taking a general view of the Australian Fauna, we find a 

 very marked deficiency in the Raptores or birds of prey. The 

 whole of these, including the hawks and owls both noc- 



