FAUNA OF AUSTRALIA. 375 



the European, but, viewed as a whole, it presents less marked features than the 

 order of mammals. Doubtless Australia has its emus, its easowaries, and various 

 species of megalopodlus, which does not hatch its eggs, merely covering them with 

 brushwood; but most of the birds found on this continent belong also to the 

 Indonesian and Asiatic zones, thanks to the faculty of flight by which they cross 

 the intervening marine spaces. Birds of graceful form and gorgeous plumage 

 are scarcely less numerous than in New Guinea and the Moluccas ; those whose 

 food is nectar and honey are relatively the best represented, for Australia 

 abounds in flowering trees and shrubs. Nevertheless, whole groups, such as 

 the families of vultures, the pheasants and magpies, are absent from this region 

 of the globe. 



The crocodile is found only on the seaboard facing the Malay Archipelago, but 

 the venomous species of snakes are very numerous. Other zoological orders, such 

 as fishes, insects, molluscs, also present special types with a great diversity of 

 forms, but already much modified in their general distribution since the introduc- 

 tion of corresponding European species. Even the forests and thickets, formerly 

 seldom enlivened by the songsters' notes, now constantly echo with the music of 

 the new arrivals from the mother country. Indigenous plants and animals alike 

 have been thrust into the background by the intruding species, just as the Austra- 

 lian himself retires before the strangers of white stock. Not only have the 

 English brought with them all the European domestic animals, but since 1846 

 they have even imported the Asiatic camels with their Afghan and Baluchi 

 drivers. Thanks to these human and animal immigrants, accustomed to cross vast 

 desert wastes, expeditions have been successfully undertaken, which but for them 

 would have been impossible. 



Inhabitants of Australia, 



The aboriginal population before the establishment of the first British settle- 

 ments has been conjecturally estimated at from one hundred and fifty thousand to 

 two hundred thousand. But even were it three or four times more numerous 

 Australia would none the less have to be considered as at that time almost unin- 

 habited, regard being had to its vast extent. All the tribal groups thinly scattered 

 over this boundless region everywhere presented great resemblance in type and 

 speech ; hence most anthropologists agree in looking on the natives as belonging 

 to a common stock, constituting a well-marked independent branch of the human 

 family. Nevertheless, it seems probable that before the European immigration 

 peoples of diverse origin, either driven before the storm or following long familiar 

 marine routes, had reached the Australian mainland and intermingled with the 

 primitive populations. During his exploring expeditions across the north-western 

 regions George Grey noticed in all the tribes the presence of individuals with 

 relatively light complexion, who seemed to wield a certain authority over their 

 fellow tribesmen. According to Grey these warriors represented an element of 

 Indonesian origin, and even their dogs, quite different from the Australian dingo. 



