34 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



with. On the contrary, I found the bones of the great Forester 

 kangaroo, indicating an animal 5 and 6 feet high, when in an erect 

 posture, mixed indiscriminately with those of the native cat, the 

 opossum, and bandicoot. Although all the smaller animals to whom 

 the bones belonged, could have passed through the contracted apertures 

 leading into the various chambers, it would have been impossible for 

 the great Forester Kangaroo to have done so, and it is very doubtful if 

 the Brush Kangaroo could have squeezed through the contracted 

 openings. We are, consequently, driven to the conclusion that 

 they were killed by some animal of prey, and carried into the remote 

 recesses of the cavern in a dismembered state. This view of the 

 question I purpose considering on a future occasion, when I think 

 that I will be able to propound a satisfactory theory as to the cause 

 of the extinction of the Thylacinus and Sarcophilus on this continent, 



(To be Continued.) 



THE AQUILINiE OE EAGLES. 



By T. a. Porbes-Leith. 



(Continued.) 



Here in Australia, 5 species of Eagles are well-known to us besides 

 the White-Headed Osprey or Fishing Eagle, viz., the Little Eagle, 

 the Large Sea Eagle, the Wliite-Breasted Eagle, the Whistling 

 Eagle, and the Wedge-Tailed. This latter bird I had alive and tame. 

 He had become quite an epicure, and would not if he could possibly 

 help it eat anything but first-class beef, consuming per diem enough 

 for two ordinary mortals. The Aquila Audax has been called by 

 ornithologists the Golden Eagle of the Southern Hemisphere. Now, 

 although I admit he is a fine bird, still I say he cannot hold a 

 candle to the Golden Eagle of the heather-clad hills of Scotland. 



The Wedge-tailed Eagle is also found in Tasmania and some 

 of the islands of Bass's Straits. Other fine birds of this sub- 

 family are the Eoyal Eagle (^Aquila Eegalis), found on the banks 

 of the mighty Amazon ; the Superb Eagle (^Aquila Sujyerbus,) 

 whose native habitat is Guiana ; the Martial Eagle of Africa ; 

 the Oronoka Eagle, found in South America, with a top-knot ; 

 and two Indian ones I forgot to mention, the Clieela and tlie 

 Pondicherry Eagles, also the Crowned Eagle of Guinea, Western 

 coast of Africa. There are I know several Eagles in New Guinea, 

 but the only one I have seen and handled is the one known as 

 the Swallow Eagle. 



The Golden Eagle was tlie emblem of ancient Eome as well as 

 modern France, and in Grecian and Eoman mythology he was the 

 associate of Jupiter, and proudly termed the bird of Jove, being 



