Chapter X: Part I: p. 19. 2nd edit. p. 41 (5)

A genus of Gulls, the members of which are delicate in their structure, elegant in their appearance, and graceful in all their actions. Many species are found in Europe and America, and others inhabit Africa; one species only has been characterized as Australian, but I believe that another will be found in Torres’ Straits very similar to, but much larger than, the _X. Jamesonii_ of the southern parts of that continent.

558. Xema Jamesonii Vol. VII. Pl. 20.

Subfamily ——?

Genus LESTRIS, _Ill._

The high latitudes of both the northern and southern hemispheres are frequented by parasitic Gulls.

One species of this form has been found in the Australian seas, and another has been discovered within the Antarctic circle.

559. Lestris Catarractes Vol. VII. Pl. 21.

Although I have figured and described this Australian bird as identical with the Skua Gull of Europe, it is likely that hereafter reasons may be found for separating them.

In a letter just arrived from Mr. J. M’Gillivray, dated on board H.M.S. Rattlesnake, Feb. 6, 1848, that gentleman says, “The _Lestris Catarractes_ was noticed on various occasions in different parts of the South Indian Ocean; while off the Cape of Good Hope a solitary individual and subsequently two in company were seen. I have observed it following and hovering over a bait towing astern, and once saw it chase a Cape Petrel and force it to alight on the water. This bird seldom remained with us for more than half an hour at a time, during which it made a few circular flights about the ship.”

Subfamily STERNINÆ, _Bonap._

The members of this family inhabiting Australia and Europe are nearly equal in number, and in each country examples of the same forms are found to exist; the Australian fauna has also a _Gygis_ and an _Onychoprion_ neither of which inhabit the European seas, and four species of _Anoüs_, of which only one frequents the northern hemisphere.

Genus SYLOCHELIDON, _Brehm_.

560. Sylochelidon strenuus Vol. VII. Pl. 22.

A representative of the _S. Caspius_ of Europe.

Genus THALASSEUS, _Boie_.

The members of this genus, the type of which is the _T. Cantiacus_ of the British Islands, are widely dispersed over most parts of the Old World, and three distinct species inhabit Australia.

561. Thalasseus Pelecanoïdes Vol. VII. Pl. 23. 562. Thalasseus poliocercus, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 24. 563. Thalasseus Torresii, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 25.

Since my account of this species was printed I have seen adult specimens from Southern India, which country is in all probability its true habitat.

Genus STERNA, _Linn._

The members of this genus, as now restricted, enjoy so wide a range over the globe, that they may be said to be universally dispersed: three species are found in Australia.

564. Sterna melanorhyncha, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 26. 565. Sterna gracilis, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 27. 566. Sterna melanauchen, _Temm._ Vol. VII. Pl. 28.

“This beautiful bird,” says Mr. M’Gillivray, “is very local in its breeding-places, the only one known to me being one of the ‘three sand-banks’ near Sir Charles Hardy’s Islands. The eggs are two in number, deposited in a slight hollow in the sand. I have seen this bird on another neighbouring sand-bank, also on Solitary Island, near Cape York, and in Endeavour Straits, but was unable to procure a specimen from any of the three last-mentioned localities, on account of its excessive shyness. It is one of the most noisy of the Terns, and I generally saw it in small parties of half-a-dozen, or thereabouts. The fully-fledged young of the year differs from the adult in having the black on the head dark brown mottled with white, and the whole of the upper surface and wings variegated with dark brownish grey.”

Genus STERNULA, _Boie_.

Europe and Australia are both tenanted by little Terns, the specific distinctness of which cannot be questioned, however much that of the large Terns (genus _Sylochelidon_) may be: ought we not then to infer that some peculiar law prevails, and that if one be distinct the other is also? However that may be, it is certain that birds regarded as identically the same, because no external difference is perceptible, breed at opposite seasons in the two hemispheres, and that if the birds of one hemisphere be brought and retained in the other, they continue to moult their feathers and to breed at the same period that they would have done had they remained in their native country.

567. Sternula Nereis, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 29.

Genus GELOCHELIDON, _Brehm_.

It would be strange if this form did not exist in Australia, when all the other European genera of Terns are found there; still I have no other evidence of such being the case, than that of a specimen in the collection of King’s College, London, which is said to be from Van Diemen’s Land, and to which in the year 1837 I gave the name of _Sterna macrotarsa_.

568. Gelochelidon macrotarsus, _Gould_.

_Sterna macrotarsa_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part V. p. 26;
and in Syn. Birds of Australia, Part II.

Crown of the head and back of the neck black; all the upper surface and primaries light silvery-grey; remainder of the plumage white; bill and feet black.

As I did not meet with this bird myself either in Van Diemen’s Land or in any other of the Australian regions, I have not figured it.

Genus GYGIS, _Wagl._

One species of this Polynesian genus of Terns is found in Australia.

569. Gygis candida Vol. VII. Pl. 30.

Genus HYDROCHELIDON, _Boie_.

The value of minor genera or subgenera, as naturalists may choose to designate them, is much strengthened, when species, which have been assigned to either of them from countries so distant from each other as Australia and Europe, are found to possess similar habits, but differing from those of the other members of the family. Thus the members of the present little group inhabit the inland waters and marshes of both countries; make their nests among the rushes, and lay thickly-marked eggs, in both of which particulars they differ from the other Terns; the generality of which deposit their eggs on the shingles of the sea-shore, while others, the _Gygis candida_ for instance, lay their single egg on the horizontal branch of a tree, so totally unprotected, that how it is retained in its position during windy weather is a perfect mystery; others again, such as the Noddies, bring together large masses of sea-weed, which they either pile upon the swinging branch of a Mangrove or on the jutting point of a rock. All these facts should be studied by ornithologists before they discard subgenera proposed by their fellow-labourers, and replace the species they may have so divided in the genera of the older writers, who must necessarily have known less of the subject; for wherever a difference occurs in the habits of the members of any great family a variation more or less marked will be found in their structure. So far as my own observations go, and they have not been few, if I have read the great book of nature aright, the genera, instead of being reduced, might with propriety be multiplied without the risk of our being burthened with a genus for every species, as some writers affect to fear would then be the case.

570. Hydrochelidon fluviatilis, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 31.

A fine marsh Tern differing from its European prototypes _H. nigra_, _H. leucoptera_ and _H. leucopareia_.

Genus ONYCHOPRION, _Wagl._

Of this form two species frequent the Australian seas.

571. Onychoprion fuliginosus Vol. VII. Pl. 32.

Although I have figured one of the two Australian birds of this genus under the above appellation, rather than run the risk of unnecessarily adding to the number of species, I have no doubt it will prove to be distinct from the American bird.

“Found breeding in prodigious numbers on Raine’s Islet and Bramble Key in May and June, associated with Noddies (_Anoüs stolidus_). The Sooty Tern deposits its solitary egg in a slight excavation in the sand without lining of any kind. The egg varies considerably in its markings. After the party employed in building the beacon on Raine’s Islet had been on shore about ten days, and the Terns had had their nests robbed repeatedly, the birds collected into two or three large flocks and laid their eggs in company, shifting their quarters repeatedly on finding themselves continually molested; for new-laid eggs were much in request among people who had for some time been living upon ship’s fare. By sitting down and keeping quiet I have seen the poor birds dropping their eggs within two yards of where I sat, apparently glad to get rid of their burthen at all hazards. During the month of June 1844 about 1500 dozen of eggs were procured by the party upon the Island. About the 20th of June nearly one half of the young birds (hatched twenty-five or thirty days previously) were able to fly, and many were quite strong upon the wing. Great numbers of young birds unable to fly were killed for the pot;—in one mess of twenty-two men the average number consumed daily in June was fifty, and supposing the convicts (twenty in number) to have consumed as many, 3000 young birds must have been killed in one month; yet I could observe no sensible diminution of the number of young, a circumstance which will give the reader some idea of the vast numbers of birds of this species congregated on a mere vegetated sand-bank like Raine’s Islet.”—_J. M’Gillivray._

572. Onychoprion Panaya Vol. VII. Pl. 33.

Genus ANOÜS, _Leach_.

Unlike other Terns which frequent the sea-shores and rivers, the Noddies inhabit the wide ocean, far remote from land, and which, like the Petrels, they seldom quit, except at the breeding season, when they congregate in vast multitudes on small islands suited to the purpose. Great nurseries of this kind are to be found in every ocean; in the North Atlantic, one of the Tortugas, called Noddy Key, is a favourite resort, and the Bahama Islands are another; in the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, beside other situations, the Houtmann’s Abrolhos, off the western coast of Australia, are resorted to in such immense numbers that Mr. Gilbert was perfectly astonished at the multitudes with which he found himself surrounded, upon landing on those remote and little-explored islands.

573. Anoüs stolidus Vol. VII. Pl. 34.

“The large Noddy,” says Mr. M’Gillivray, “is abundantly distributed over Torres’ Straits, but I never met with it to the southward of Raine’s Islet, on which, as at Bramble Key, it was found breeding in prodigious numbers. Unlike its constant associate, the Sooty Tern, it constructs a shallow nest of small twigs arranged in a slovenly manner, over which are strewed about a handful of fragments of coral from the beach, shells, and occasionally portions of tortoise-shell and bones of turtle. The nest is sometimes placed upon the ground, but more usually upon tufts of grass and other herbage, at about a foot from the ground.”

574. Anoüs melanops, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 35. 575. Anoüs leucocapillus, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 36. 576. Anoüs cinereus, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 37.

Family PROCELLARIDÆ, _Bonap._

There is perhaps no group of birds respecting which so much confusion exists and the extent of whose range over the ocean is so little known, as that forming the present family.

Having, as I have before stated, paid much attention to these birds during my voyages to and from Australia and in its neighbourhood, my researches were rewarded by my obtaining a knowledge of at least forty different species, nearly all of which are peculiar to the seas of the southern hemisphere. The powers of flight with which these birds are endowed are perfectly astonishing: they appear to be constantly performing migrations round the globe from west to east; and Australia lying in their tract, all the species may be found near its shores at one or other season of the year.

It is but natural to suppose that this great group of birds has been created for some especial purpose, and may we not infer that they have been placed in the Southern Ocean to prevent an undue increase of the myriads of mollusks and other low marine animals with which those seas abound, and upon which all the _Procellaridæ_ mainly subsist?

Genus DIOMEDEA, _Linn._

Of this genus, which comprises among its members the largest of the Oceanic birds, three species range over the North Pacific Ocean; and six others the seas southward of the equator.

577. Diomedea exulans, _Linn._ Vol. VII. Pl. 38.

The weight of this species varies from seventeen to twenty pounds, and the expanse of its extended wings averages the enormous breadth of 11 feet.

578. Diomedea brachyura, _Temm._ Vol. VII. Pl. 39. 579. Diomedea cauta, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 40. 580. Diomedea culminata, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 41. 581. Diomedea chlororhynchos, _Lath._ Vol. VII. Pl. 42. 582. Diomedea melanophrys, _Temm._ Vol. VII. Pl. 43. 583. Diomedea fuliginosa Vol. VII. Pl. 44. 584. Diomedea gibbosa, _Gould_.

_Diomedea gibbosa_, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol.
xiii. p. 361.

Face, ear-coverts, chin, abdomen, upper and under tail-coverts white; the remainder of the plumage very dark brown, approaching on the occiput, back of the neck and wings to black; bill yellowish horn-colour, becoming darker at the tip and at the base; feet in the dried specimen dark brown, but doubtless of a bluish grey, inclining to flesh-colour in the living bird.

The above is the description of a specimen in the collection of the Zoological Society of London, to which it was presented by F. Debell Bennett, Esq., who had procured it in the North Pacific. It differs from every other that has come under my notice in the peculiar swollen and raised form of the base of the upper mandible, which moreover advances high upon the forehead.

585. Diomedea olivaceorhyncha, _Gould_.

_Diomedea olivaceorhyncha_, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,
vol. xiii. p. 361.

I propose this name for a species, examples of which are wanting to our collections, and of which a bill only has as yet come under my notice. It is in the possession of Sir Wm. Jardine, Bart., is 3 inches and ⅜ths long from the gape to the tip, of a uniform olive-green, and in form more slender and elegant than that of the other members of the genus. The locality in which it was procured is not known, but it is supposed to have been obtained in the China seas.

The last two species were not seen by me in the Australian seas, but are given in order to complete a monograph of the _Diomedeæ_.

Genus PROCELLARIA, _Linn._

Of the fifteen species I have placed in this genus as now restricted, figures of only eight have been given.

586. Procellaria gigantea Vol. VII. Pl. 45. 587. Procellaria Æquinoctialis. 588. Procellaria conspicillata, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 46. 589. Procellaria hasitata, _Kuhl_. Vol. VII. Pl. 47. 590. Procellaria Atlantica, _Gould_.

_Procellaria Atlantica_, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,
vol. xiii. p. 362.

Male: the whole of the plumage deep chocolate-black; bill and feet jet-black.

This is one of the commonest species inhabiting the Atlantic, and no ship passes between our shores and the Cape of Good Hope without encountering it; it is a species respecting which very considerable confusion exists in the writings of nearly all the older authors. It is the _P. fuliginosa_ of Forster’s Drawings, No. 93 B, and the _P. fuliginosa_ of Lichtenstein’s edition of Forster’s MSS. p. 23, which term cannot be retained, as it had already been applied by Latham to a very different bird from Otaheite; it is the _P. grisea_ of Kuhl but not of Linnæus, who has given the term to another species, consequently _grisea_ cannot be retained for it; and hence I have been induced to give it a new appellation, and thereby prevent misapprehension for the future.

591. Procellaria macroptera, _Smith_.

_Procellaria macroptera_, Smith, Zool. of South Africa, Aves, pl.
52.

I think that a bird I killed in the seas off Van Diemen’s Land, where it was tolerably abundant, and which differs from the last in being of a larger size, in having much longer wings and a greyer face, may be identical with the _P. macroptera_ of Smith, and I therefore retain it under that appellation, in preference to assigning it a new name.

592. Procellaria Solandri, _Gould_.

_Procellaria Solandri_, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc., Part XII. p.
57; and in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol. xiii. p. 363.

Head, back of the neck, shoulders, primaries and tail dark brown; back, wing-coverts and upper tail-coverts slate-grey, each feather margined with dark brown; face and all the under surface brown, washed with grey on the abdomen; bill, tarsi, toes and membranes black.

This is a remarkably robust and compact bird. I shot a single individual in Bass’s Straits on the 13th of March 1839. M. Natterer thought that it might be identical with the bird figured in Banks’s drawings, to which Dr. Solander has affixed the term _melanopus_, an opinion in which I cannot concur; I have therefore named it in honour of that celebrated botanist. The specimen above described may possibly not be fully adult, as the dark colouring of the under surface only occupies the extreme tips of the feathers, the basal portions of which are snow-white.

593. Procellaria Glacialoïdes, _Smith_ Vol. VII. Pl. 48. 594. Procellaria Lessonii, _Garn._ Vol. VII. Pl. 49. 595. Procellaria mollis, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 50. 596. Procellaria Cookii, _G. R. Gray_ Vol. VII. Pl. 51. 597. Procellaria cœrulea, _Gmel._ Vol. VII. Pl. 52. 598. Procellaria flavirostris, _Gould_.

_Procellaria flavirostris_, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,
vol. xiii. p. 365.

Feathers of the head and all the upper surface brown with pearl edges, fading into white on the tips of the upper tail-coverts; wings and tail deep blackish brown; all the under surface pure white; the feathers of the under surface of the shoulder with a streak of brown down the centre; bill yellow, passing into dark horn-colour at the tip; tarsi and feet fleshy white.

This fine species was procured off the Cape of Good Hope, in lat. 36° 39′ S., long. 10° 3′ E., by His Excellency Governor Grey, on his passage to South Australia. It is distinguished from its congeners by its much larger size, and by the yellow colouring of the bill. The female is somewhat smaller than her mate.

This bird so nearly approaches in form the members of the genus _Puffinus_, that it is almost questionable whether it should not be included in that group.

599. Procellaria nivea, _Gmel._ 600. Procellaria Antarctica, _Gmel._

Genus DAPTION, _Steph._

A genus established for the reception of the _Procellaria Capensis_ of Linnæus, a species abounding in all the temperate latitudes of the southern seas.

601. Daption Capensis Vol. VII. Pl. 53.

Genus PRION, _Lacep._

A genus of fairy-like Petrels confined to the southern hemisphere: much confusion exists respecting these birds, and they are so puzzling that I regret to say I have not been able to throw any light upon the subject.

Of the following species two only have been figured:—

602. Prion Turtur Vol. VII. Pl. 54. 603. Prion vittatus Vol. VII. Pl. 55. 604. Prion Banksii.

_Pachyptila Banksii_, Smith, Zool. of South Africa, Aves, pl. 55.

_Prion Banksii_, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol. xiii.
p. 366.

Found in the temperate latitudes of the Atlantic and Pacific, and I believe in similar latitudes all round the globe.

605. Prion Ariel, _Gould_.

_Prion Ariel_, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist., vol. xiii. p.
366.

I killed this species in Bass’s Straits, where it was rather numerous.

Genus PUFFINUS, _Briss._

The members of this genus inhabit the seas of both the northern and southern hemisphere, but are nowhere more abundant than round Australia, the fauna of which country comprises four species, which make one or other of the groups of islands lying off the coast their great nurseries or breeding-places.

606. Puffinus brevicaudus, _Brandt_ Vol. VII. Pl. 56.

It will be seen that I have alluded in forcible terms to the great abundance of this species in Bass’s Straits, in confirmation of which I annex the following extract from Flinders’ Voyage, vol. i. p. 170:—

“A large flock of Gannets was observed at daylight, and they were followed by such a number of the sooty petrels as we had never seen equalled. There was a stream of from fifty to eighty yards in depth, and of three hundred yards or more in breadth; the birds were not scattered, but were flying as compactly as a free movement of their wings seemed to allow; and during a full _hour and a half_ this stream of Petrels continued to pass without interruption, at a rate little inferior to the swiftness of the Pigeon. On the lowest computation I think the number could not have been less than a hundred millions. Taking the stream to have been fifty yards deep by three hundred in width, and that it moved at the rate of thirty miles an hour, and allowing nine cubic yards of space to each bird, the number would amount to 151,500,000. The burrows required to lodge this quantity of birds would be 75,750,000; and allowing a square yard to each burrow, they would cover something more than 18½ geographic square miles of ground.”

607. Puffinus carneipes, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 57. 608. Puffinus sphenurus, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 58. 609. Puffinus assimilis, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 59.

Genus PUFFINURIA, _Less._

One species of this genus inhabits the Australian seas.

610. Puffinuria Urinatrix Vol. VII. Pl. 60.

Genus THALASSIDROMA, _Vig._

The little tenants of the ocean belonging to this genus are so universally dispersed, that they are found in all the seas except those of the very high latitudes of both hemispheres. The Australian fauna is particularly rich in birds of this form, inasmuch as no less than five distinct species frequent the seas which wash the shores of that country.

611. Thalassidroma marina, _Less._ Vol. VII. Pl. 61. 612. Thalassidroma melanogaster, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 62. 613. Thalassidroma leucogaster, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 63. Thalassidroma Tropica, _Gould_.

_Thalassidroma Tropica_, Gould in Ann. and Mag. of Nat. Hist.,
vol. xiii. p. 366.

Head, back, wings, tail and breast dark sooty black; chin, under coverts of the wings, abdomen, flanks, under tail-coverts, and a broad crescent-shaped band across the upper tail-coverts snow-white; bill, feet and legs black.

Total length, 7¾ inches; bill, ⅞; wing, 6½; tail, 3½; tarsi, 1¾; middle toe and nail, 1¼.

I observed this species in the Atlantic, where it is confined to the equatorial regions, being most abundant in the vicinity of the line. It is the largest member of the genus with which I am acquainted, and is rendered very conspicuous by the white mark on its throat.

614. Thalassidroma Nereis, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 64. 615. Thalassidroma Wilsonii, _Bonap._ Vol. VII. Pl. 65.

Family PELECANIDÆ, _Leach_.

Genus PHALACROCORAX, _Briss._

The great family of the Cormorants, whose range is universal, are well represented in Australia, since five species inhabit and are peculiar to that country, where they perform precisely the same offices as the other species of the genus do in Europe and America.

616. Phalacrocorax Carboïdes, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 66. 617. Phalacrocorax sulcirostris Vol. VII. Pl. 67. 618. Phalacrocorax hypoleucus Vol. VII. Pl. 68. 619. Phalacrocorax leucogaster, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 69. 620. Phalacrocorax melanoleucus, _Vieill._ Vol. VII. Pl. 70. 621. Phalacrocorax punctatus Vol. VII. Pl. 71.

Genus ATTAGEN, _Mœhr_.

Although I have figured but one, there are evidently two if not three species of this genus which visit the Australian shores; but I have not had sufficient opportunities to investigate the subject satisfactorily.

622. Attagen Ariel, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 72. 623. Attagen Aquila?

Genus PHAËTON, _Linn._

The beautiful species of this form which graces the fauna of Australia, ranges over the greater part of the Pacific Ocean, and among other places retires to Norfolk Island and Raine’s Islet for the purpose of breeding.

624. Phaëton phœnicurus Vol. VII. Pl. 73.

Genus PELECANUS, _Linn._

The members of this genus are very widely dispersed, since every great country has one or more species assigned to it. That inhabiting Australia is as fine and as beautifully marked as any other member of the group.

625. Pelecanus conspicillatus, _Temm._ Vol. VII. Pl. 74.

Genus PLOTUS, _Linn._

Asia, Africa, America and Australia are each tenanted by a species of this genus, the members of which, although few in number, are not well understood nor are their specific differences easily decyphered.

626. Plotus Novæ-Hollandiæ, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 75.

Genus SULA, _Briss._

Four fine species of this genus appertain to the Australian fauna, since they not only frequent the seas adjacent to the shores of that country, but all of them resort to its rocks and islands for the purpose of breeding.

The genus comprises several other species which inhabit the sea coasts of nearly every part of the globe.

627. Sula Australis, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 76.

Inhabits the southern coast of Australia and Van Diemen’s Land, and is a beautiful representative of the _Sula Bassana_ and _S. melanura_ of Europe.

628. Sula personata, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 77.

Common on the east coast.

629. Sula fusca, _Briss._ Vol. VII. Pl. 78.

“This species of Booby,” says Mr. M’Gillivray, “is generally distributed on the north-east and north coasts of New Holland; but I found it breeding only upon Bramble Key, although I once, on Raine’s Islet, found a solitary egg. The nest is slovenly made of dried herbage, a foot in diameter, with scarcely any cavity, and contains two eggs, of which in every instance one was clean and the other very dirty. The eggs, which are white, vary considerably in size. The largest measured 2‑8/12 inches by 1‑7/12; the smallest 2‑4½/12 by 1‑7½/12, and one of average size, 2½ by 1¾ inches. Both sexes incubate, and the birds while sitting on their eggs allowed of a very near approach, and before flying off disgorged the contents of their stomachs, chiefly a species of _Clupea_ or herring. I need scarcely add that their bite is very severe. During our visits to Darnley Island I observed several tame Boobies among the native villages, generally perched on the canoes hauled up on the beach. These birds were allowed their full liberty, and after fishing in the weirs upon the reefs until they had procured a sufficiency of food, returned to the huts.”

Inhabits the north coast.

630. Sula piscator, _Linn._ Vol. VII. Pl. 79.

Inhabits the north coast.

Family COLYMBIDÆ, _Leach_.

Genus PODICEPS, _Lath._

There is no country of any extent wherein Grebes are not to be found; and as their wing-powers are very limited, they are mostly stationary.

I have elsewhere remarked how beautifully the European Grebes are represented by those inhabiting Australia, and the truth of this remark will be rendered at once apparent on reference to the Plates of the following species:—

631. Podiceps Australis, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 80. 632. Podiceps gularis, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 81.

Podiceps Dominicus, var. Lath., Gen. Hist. vol. x. p. 32.

633. Podiceps poliocephalus, _Jard. & Selb._ Vol. VII. Pl. 82.

Family SPHENISCIDÆ, _Gould_.

Of this southern group of birds three or four species have been known to visit the shores of Van Diemen’s Land and the islands in Bass’s Straits, which, in fact, constitute one of the great breeding-places of some of the members of this family.

Genus EUDYPTES, _Vieill._

634. Eudyptes chrysocome Vol. VII. Pl. 83.

Genus SPHENISCUS, _Briss._

635. Spheniscus minor, _Temm._ Vol. VII. Pl. 84. 636. Spheniscus Undina, _Gould_ Vol. VII. Pl. 85.

TABLE OF THE RANGE OR DISTRIBUTION OF THE SPECIES.