The Birds of Australia, Vol. 1 of 7

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Common on the east coast.

“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 28
12 inches by 17
12; the smallest 24½
12 by 17½
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.

Inhabits the north coast.

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:—

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

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.

Genus Spheniscus, Briss.