144 On the Nest and Eggs of the Coach-tvhip Bird, &^c. 



obtained; and pointed ont that many fm-tlier observations were still desu-able 

 for the completeness of information m this branch of natural history. He 

 remarked, in conclusion — 



One of tlie secondary cau.ses of the often noticed scarcity of 

 birds in Australia_, as compared with England_, is undoubtedly 

 that so many species here lay a much less nu.mber of eggs. 

 Amongst the commoner of Australian birds, the Honetjeaters 

 (Mcliphagse) average 2, and some species only one solitary 

 egg; the Wattlebirds (Antoclier?e) 2 or 3; the Sericoniis 

 tribe 3; the Foster'ojjs 3; the Woodswallows (Artamis) 4, &c., 

 and this opinion is corroborated by the fact that the few ex- 

 ceptional species whose individuals are really numerous, such 

 as the common quail (Cotarnix pectorelis) and the Parolceet 

 tribe are found to be large layers, the quail producing 11 to 

 14, and the parokeets 6 to 8 eggs. In England nearly all our 

 commoner birds average 5, or at least 4 eggs, and there are 

 many instances of a larger number. I said that this is a se- 

 condary cause, for Reason at once ascends higher in the scale, 

 and asks ivhy it should be so arranged that only a limited 

 average is produced? Is it that this country would, in the case 

 of most species, not offer sufficient food of a suitable kind to 

 maintain a greater number of individuals, and therefore 

 the aU-balancing hand of Nature has struck the present ad- 

 justment as the true one between supply and consumption ? 

 Or, to change the line of inquiry, can we entertain the notion 

 of a more recent origin of Australia, and thence deduct that 

 the scarcity of animal life is in some degree owing to the fact 

 that the same amount of time has not elapsed as in the older 

 countries to enable this continent to be stocked up to its fuU 

 capability ? However this latter may be, it is certain that the 

 rate of reproduction, as represented in the instance of most 

 Australian birds, cannot be proceeding at a rate nearly equal 

 to the annual increase in many other countries. In order to 

 investigate fully this subject of the abundance or scarcity of 

 animal life, it would however be necessary to take into account 

 the different destroying causes in the countries under com- 

 parison, as well as the reproducing ones ; and altogether the 

 matter is one which deserves more than the few hasty glances 

 here incidentally bestowed on it. 



