aes 
& . THE GEELONG NATURALIST. 
other in the southern part of the colonies. In August it appears in 
New South Wales, spreading from thence southward, and in 
February it makes its way northward again. 
Probably many of our Parakeets and Lorikeets are migratory, 
indeed it is certain most, if not all, of the honey-eating varieties are, 
as their food is obtained principally from the eucalyptus flowers, and 
necessarily they must change their quarters with the changing season. 
We have for instance the Swift Lorikeet which after breeding in 
Tasmania, crosses over the straits in vast flocks, arriving in this and 
the adjoining colonies, where it may be seen literally covering the 
gum trees in search of its liquid food. 
There is also the Cockatoo Payakeet which spends about eight 
months of the year in the far north, leaving there about September 
for New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia, and the 
northern part of Victoria for the purpose of rearing its young, 
returning again to the north in February or March. 
The term “Birds of Passage” perhaps applies more correctly 
to those birds which make a brief stay only in any place. First in 
this list we may safely place the Swift. Two varieties of which make 
their appearance occasionally from August to March. 
The Cuckoo also is certainly entitled to the appellation, for 
though it remains longer than the Swift, its stay is a very brief one. 
Of the bronze or shining Cuckoo Gould says—‘The migratory 
instinct of this bird induces it in summer to wing its way across 
the ocean to New Zealand. In winter it returns to the north, 
where insect food is more abundant. The most recent work on 
Australian birds says the habitat of a great many varieties extends 
from the far north to the extreme south. T have no doubt in the 
majority of instances referred to, this is simply an evidence of 
migration, and that the majority of these birds leave the northern 
part of the continent in the summer for the more temperate south. 
Tn addition to those already referred to, we have visits more or 
less frequent from the Ibis, the Stilt, the Avocet, the Darter, and 
many others. And while these may be termed migratory, their 
movements from place to place appears to be solely regulated by 
their necessities for the time being, and we cannot therefore look 
for them with any degree of certainty. 
It will be seen by the few facts I have had the privilege of 
laying before you that there is yet an immense field for research in 
this branch of natural history—I mean the migration of birds, not 
only of those which are comparatively rare, but of the many varieties 
with which we are tolerably familiar. And when this is ac- 
