14 



as to the actual occurrence of some species which are usually considered 

 to be restricted -within narrow limits in distant parts of the Continent. 

 It is also to be regretted that observations on the habits and distribution 

 of our indigenous mammals are not extant, as year by year they 

 will become more difficult to make, and many of the most rare or 

 local seem to be doomed to extinction through the repellent and exter- 

 minating influence of advancing culture of the soil. 



Class Aves. — The magnificent series of seven volumes of Mr. 

 Gould's (*) " Birds of Australia" was finished in 1848; and in 1869 a 

 supplementary volume was issued containing similar full-sized illustra- 

 tions of about 80 species. In 1863 Mr. Gould reprinted in a quarto 

 form, with additions and corrections, the letterpress of his great work, 

 and published it under the title of a " Handbook to the Birds of Aus- 

 tralia." This is a convenient work for general reference. 



My criticisms on Mr. Waterhouse's List of Mammals will apply with 

 equal force to that of his South Australian Birds. The number of 

 species there quoted for this province is 360 ; but Mr. E. P. Ramsay, in 

 his " List of Australian Birds, 1877," makes mention of only 343. The 

 discrepancy is more than accounted for by the degradation of so-called 

 species to the rank of varieties, whilst Mr Ramsay's list contains a few 

 species not enumerated by Mr. Waterhouse. 



Class Reptilia. — (f) " On the Snakes of Australia" we have an ex- 

 cellent work, published in 1869 by Mr. Gerald Krefft, in which a list of 

 the South Australian species will be found. The late Dr. Gray has 

 written many papers on the Tortoises and Lizards of Australia. Of the 

 latter we have to thank Dr. Gunther for a complete monographic list 

 published in 1875 in one of the newly-issued numbers of the (t) " Voyage 

 of the Erebus and Terror." Most of the plates of this work were also 

 issued in 1867 by Dr. Gray in his (t) " Eacsiculus of the Lizards of Aus- 

 tralia and New Zealand." 



Class Amphibia. — An indispensable work in this department is Dr. 

 Gunther's (*tj " Catalogue of the Batrachia Salentia," published in 1858, 

 which embraces all the Australian species of the class then known ; but 

 additions have since been made and referred to by Keferstein, in his 

 new and little-known Batrachians from Australia, (t) " Neue und wenio- 

 bekannte Batrachier ausj Australien." As localities are given in both 

 works, it will be an easy task to prepare a list of the South Australian 

 species ; and doubtless from the small number therein recorded for this 

 province, an increase to it would reward the collector. 



