THE VICTOUIAN NATURALIST. 79 



such by the talented author, by pointing out a few slight 

 inaccuracies and by extending localities of many of the species. 



Also for so doing, I perceive I have a precedent in " Notes 

 by Captain Hutton on Dr. Buller's ' Birds of New Zealand'" 

 in Vol. VI. of the "Proceedings of the New Zealand Insti- 

 tute." 



Dr. Ramsay has divided his list into fifteen districts. -Of 

 course, birds do not recognise the geographical boundaries of 

 man, yet we are all more or less interested in the avifauna of 

 our respective colonies ; therefore I think it is a pity that Dr. 

 Ramsay has clubbed Victoria with South Australia. Besides, 

 many birds are found in the one province which are not found 

 in the other, and vice versa. For instance, Leadbeater's honey- 

 eater (Ptilotis cassidix) and the lyre-bird (Meniira VicloiiceJ are 

 found in Victoria, but not in South Australia, and the Adelaide 

 parrakeet fPIatycercus Adelaidensis), western ground parrakeet 

 ( Pezopoi'us occidentalis J , Mortier's tribonyx fTribonyx Mortieri), 

 and others are found in South Australia, while there is no data 

 of their appearance in Victoria. To proceed — 



4. Astur novcE-hoUandicE. The white hawk has been noted in 

 the Rockingham Bay district. 



7. Astur criientus. I am pleased Dr. Ramsay considers this- 

 " a good and distinct species," for undoubted examples have 

 been taken in Victoria and South Australia, in addition to the 

 localities indicated by him. 



12. Haliaehis leucogaster. It is commonly known that the 

 white-bellied sea-eagle is found in Tasmania, including the 

 intermediate islands, yet Dr. Ramsay has not informed us of 

 the fact. Examples v/ere taken on King Island during the 

 Club's expedition last year. 



20. Baza suhcristata should have been filled in in the Interior 

 column. 



22. Falco hypoleucus should be indicated in the Victoria and 

 South Australia column. Excellent specimens of this beautiful 

 falcon have been in the National Museum, Melbourne, for 

 years. 



27, Tinminculiis cenchroides is omitted from the Tasmanian 

 list. I noticed one or two examples in the Hobart Museum, 

 and have also received a clutch of kestrel's eggs taken from a 

 deserted crow's nest on the island. 



32. Sirix Candida. The grass owl is now recorded a Vic- 

 torian bird for the first time. Dr. Ramsay will, no doubt, be 

 pleased to note this occurrence. I have seen several examples 

 taken lately in Victoria, one of which I exhibit here to-night. 



[It is difficult to suggest a reason for the number of owls of 

 many species seen in Victoria this season except that the 

 wonderful migration of mice that has been taking place in the 

 interior is attributive.] 



