«4 



Person:il Observations in the 



the forest. At sunset, again, his loud notes summon all na- 

 ture to rest, and peal forth a last good night to all. 



Fnar Bird. — 'V\\q Tropidorhi/nchus corniculatis is well 

 known to the colonists hy the names "poor soldier," 

 ^Mcather-headcd jackas-s" "friar bird," &c., &c. This 

 curious bird, in connnon with several other varieties of 

 honey-eaters, is remarkable on account of its extreme liveli- 

 ness, and the singuhir resemblance of its notes to the human 

 voice, which is a source of much amusement to ladies residing 

 in the bush, and who are sometimes inclined to maintain that 

 the bird possesses the power of verbally expressing its 

 emotions. 



Flijcatchers, The flycatcliers, robins, and finches, 



are plentiful along the banks of the creeks and rivers, and 

 in tlic neigld^ourliood of huts or villages. 



Of tlie h:iwk tribe Australia contains but few distinct 

 families, but the number of s^>ecies is exceedingly large ; about 

 thirty-seven. 



Ea(fl(\—ln the mountainous districts, the eagle {Aquilla 

 facosa), is numerous, and may be observed wheeling ma- 

 jestically through the air, at an immense altitude, scanning 

 tlie earth with a greedy and rapacious eye, and anticipatory 

 of a luxuriant repast on the carcasses of scabby sheep which 

 strew the })lains, and Avhich, indeed, are sufficiently numerous 

 to satisfy the appetite of the whole tribe. 



Six hundred species of birds have already been discovered 

 in Australia, and about lialf of these, viz. 300, are inhabi- 

 tants of Victoria. In the National Museum are about 230 

 species (with an equal number of duplicates), and when we 

 consider that the institution has been scarcely eight months 

 in existence, we have no reason to be ashamed of the 

 j)rogress made when a comparison is drawn with the museums 

 of our sister colonies. 



Animals, — Of mamin;ilia Australia possesses but very few 

 orders ; the marsupial division is however developed to its fullest 

 extent, more so than in any other portion of the globe, being 

 in fact charactei'istic of this continent. 



Of the chelopoda Ave have only one representative, the 

 dingo or wild dog, of which there are three species. 



Mai^supials, — The first of the marsupial order of animals 

 was discovered in America, and the astonishment which 

 pervaded the ranks of scientific men upon the occasion was 

 Mill more heightened when it was made known, that in a far 



