INTRODUCTION. 



TASMANIA and its dependencies consist of the main island of 

 Tasmania, and a number of islands of greater or lesser extent, and 

 groups of islands, chief among which are the Furneaux Group, of 

 which the largest are Flinders, Cape Ban-en, and Clarke Islands; 

 the Hunter Group includes Bobbins Island, Barren Island, Three 

 Hummock Island, and several smaller ones; then King Island, 

 Maria Island, Bruni Island, Schouten Island; the Macquarie 

 Group, consisting of a number of moderate-sized islands; the 

 Kent Group; Hogan's Group; also a number of small islands scat- 

 tered about Bass Strait in the vicinity of Tasmania. 



It is with Tasmania that we are chiefly concerned, and so may 

 to a great extent ignore the islands which are politically joined 

 to her. 



Lying as she does at the extreme south of the Australian 

 "region," Tasmania is visited by but few migrants from Arctic 

 and sub-Arctic regions who "winter" in the Southern Hemi- 

 sphere during the Australian summer. Not only are the species 

 fewer, but the individuals of those species which reach here are 

 considerably less than further north. 



Taken as a whole, Tasmania cannot be considered rich in bird- 

 life either as to species or individuals. What birds there are are 

 very irregularly distributed, owing to the very diversified nature 

 of the country, climate, and vegetation. 



The only portion of the island where birds may be said to be 

 absolutely scarce is on the West Coast, where the mountains and 

 gullies are densely clothed with forests of myrtle and an almost 

 impenetrable tangle of scrub and undergrowth. About the 

 mountain tops of this portion Hawks, Goshawks, and Falcons may 

 be seen wheeling on facile wing. 



The Midlands form the stronghold of such Plovers as are 

 found here. The large amount of clearing that has been going on 



