412 TETRAONHLE. 



seven or eight species brought from Australia, three of 

 which are already figured in his beautiful work now in 

 progress on the Birds of that country, and the others are 

 forthcoming. So much new light has Mr. Gould thrown 

 on the Natural History of this interesting group, that I 

 venture, with permission, to abstract a portion of the 

 details supplied with the species figured in the second part, 

 called the Fast-flying Hemipode. 



" I found this new and interesting species of Hemipodim 

 abundant in various parts of New South Wales, but whether 

 it has always visited those localities, or has recently made 

 its appearance there, I cannot say. Mr. Stephen Coxen, on 

 whose estate it was plentiful, and who, it was well known, 

 has for some years paid considerable attention to the Ornitho- 

 logy of Australia, could give me no information respecting it ; 

 and it would appear to have escaped the notice of collectors 

 generally, for I have never seen a specimen in any collec- 

 tion either public or private. I clearly ascertained that it 

 is strictly migratory, by finding it abundant in those places 

 in summer which I had previously visited in winter, when 

 no appearance of one was to be seen." 



" The season of more than usual luxuriance that followed 

 the long and distressing drought of 1838-39, bringing in 

 its train a number of rare and interesting species, was 

 highly advantageous to the objects of my expedition. It 

 was to this season of plenty, when the whole face of the 

 country was covered with the richest vegetation, that I am 

 inclined to attribute the appearance of vast numbers of this 

 species over the district of the whole Upper Hunter, 

 particularly in the flats of Segenho, Invermein, and Yar- 

 rundi. It appeared to give preference to the low stony 

 ridges which border and intersect these flats, and which 

 are thinly covered with grasses of various kinds, for it was 



