18 
tree to tree. I am not aware that there is any creature that preys 
upon them, hence their great numbers, notwithstanding that the female 
has only one young at a birth. 
ORNITHOLOGY. 
The number of Icnown species of birds common to Australia is 
fully 700, and of these in all probability 600 are to be found in the 
colony of Queensland. This laud of the marsupials is as rich in 
curious and anomalous species of birds as it is in animals. There 
are bii'ds varying in size from the minute wrens to the gigantic 
emu and cassowary; iu colour, there are families that can vie 
with the gorgeous trogons and parrots of tho Indies; in beauty, 
with the humming birds, and some show peculiarities of construction 
and habit found among the birds of no other country on earth. The 
merest sketch of a few of the piincipal families will be all that sp&co 
will allow in this essay. For further information the student must 
turn to Gould’s magnificent book upon tho Birds of Australia, 
RAPTORES. 
The large and powerful birds of this order are not to be found in 
Austmlia—that is, there are no vultures, condors, or large eagles. 
Doubtless tbe absence of tho larger herbivorous animals has some¬ 
thing to do with this. However, there are eagles, ospreys, falcons, 
kites, and hamers, iu great numbers. Tho Wkdgk-taileu Eagle 
{aqicila audax) is the common eagle-hawk of the colonies. It is the 
noblest of our raptures; is univei'sall}^ distributed over tho whole of 
Australia, .atid is common upon the sheep farms of tho interior plains, 
where at times it causes much loss among the lambs. Iu courage it 
does not come up to the golden eagle of tlie northern hemisphere, for 
although it will and does pursue and kill tho smaller species of 
kangai*oo, yet it prefers the more easily obtained carcass of the 
already dead sheep or bullock, and the defenceless lamb. It also 
chases the doc kangaroo until slie ejects her youug one from the 
pouch, which the bird then immediately seizes. In size thiseagle will 
measure between six and seven feet fi'om tip to tip of the wing. Tho 
talons are very powerful, and never relax their hold when once a 
grip is taken. In colour tho birds vary from a light brown to a very 
dark brown, almost black. They build gigantic nests iu the fork of 
some largo gum tree or some solitary tree of au extensive plain. 
The WutTK-riiaiLtED Ska-Eagle (poliooitus leucogaster) hikes the 
place upon the sea shores and bays that the wedge-tail does on the land, 
but it bfus not the same pluck aud courage. Asmaller eagle very common 
about the bays of Queensland is the White-breasted Sea-eagle (haliastur 
leucosternus.) The immigrant will recognise it as soon as tho ship 
enter.s the port, by tho snow-white breast and head, contrasting with 
the rich chestnut-red of the upper parts and wings. 
Tho Falcons (genus Falco) are represented in this colony by the 
Black and tho Brown, and the Black-cheeked Falcons. Of these, the 
iormer (falco suhniger) is the largest, strongest, and most daring, and 
