this reason only performed at night. The large flocks of sheep 
constantly roaming over the plains during the day-time, compelled 
it to take wing and as was always the case, these moving flocks 
of sheep were attended by numerous raptorial birds, ever on the 
watch for any quarry that may be flushed, P. torquatus , falling 
an easy victim, whilst the domestic cat wrought havoc amongst 
those on the the ground, with the much to be regretted result 
that in this part of the country at any rate, this beautiful and 
interesting bird is now nearly extinct, and T think the time is 
not far distant when it will be completely so. 
The disappearance of Oreoica cvistata is however not so easily 
accounted for, as this bird feeds on insects and its habitats were 
exclusively the belts and clumps of timber and scrub dotted over 
the plains, into which stock seldom went. Yet this species has 
entirely disappeared for many years, whilst in the timbered and 
scrubby country bordering the plains, some fifty or sixty miles to 
the northward they are quite numerous, and always have been. 
If this bird had been only an occasional visitant its disappearance 
would not be so strange, but it was numerous when the country 
was occupied and remained so for some eight or nine years after, 
and in fact would have been regarded as a stationary species ; yet 
they have entirely vanished from the plain country as completely 
as rf they had never existed. Another bird that has also departed 
for many years past is the Pied robin, Melanodryas bicolor , which 
formerly and for several years was very numerous here. The 
disappearance of this bird is also impossible to account for, as the 
conditions suitable for its existence remain apparently unchanged. 
A few stragglers of Phaps histrionica were here in the year 1880, 
but none have been seen since, and I have not seen an example of 
Gcophaps scrip ta for over twenty years. 
The disappearance of Falco snlmiger is probably due to the 
absence of birds of the quail family, which constituted its chief prey, 
but in the case of Milvus afiinis, one of those mysterious influences 
seems to prevail, which guides the actions of many Australian 
animals, for its food (chiefly offal) is as abundant as in bygone 
years, whilst “ grass-hoppers , ” another of its favourite articles of 
diet, have on many occasions been here in countless swarms, but 
unattended by the Kites. 
That fine raptorial bird Gypoictinia melanosternon is now 
becoming rare in this district, where formerly it was tolerably 
abundant. Tn former years examples could have been seen on 
any day, and the nests were to be frequently found. Now months 
may elapse without a solitary individual being seen ; whilst for a 
radius of fifty miles I do not know of an occupied nest. I am of 
opinion that their decrease is due to increase of population in this 
part of the country, not that the birds have been destroyed, for 
they are exceeding shy and wary, and most difficult to shoot, but 
