Page:The Emu volume 4.djvu/24

 really splendid opportunity offers itself to an Australian visitor or a returning colonist to supplement the list and fill in existing gaps. This defect could be remedied with such species without inconvenience to an enthusiastic traveller, and without any particular risk to live stock which do not depend on insect food exclusively. Of these there are many so sparsely represented that whole genera, even families, are totally absent.

For the housing of animals, including the birds, extensive alterations are at present in progress, or to be taken in hand shortly, when a replenishing of the aviaries would probably receive the attention of the authorities.

Several large avairies have been built or are in course of construction, in which Australian birds might find a suitable home. One which has been erected on the north side of the Gardens is a spacious structure, destined to accommodate certain Parrots during the summer months. Whether its position (on the banks of the Canal) is a well-chosen one it is perhaps too early to decide.

The "birds of prey" are sparsely represented by a handsome specimen (which has lived in the Gardens for some years) of the Wedge-tailed Eagle (Uroaëtus audax). Hawks, Buzzards, and Falcons, as well as Ospreys are unrepresented.

Of the Owls, the only member of the family was the Winking Owl (Ninox connivens), which died during the time I visited the gardens. The Lesser Masked Owl (Strix delicatula) also died.

Amongst perching birds in the Crows' Aviary may be seen the Raven (Corone australis) and two specimens of the Grey Jumper (Struthidea cinerea).

Birds of Paradise (sub-family Epimachinæ, as well as Paradiseinæ) and the Australian representatives of the family Oriolidæ are unrepresented.

The numerous Wood-Shrikes are also wanting. These being principally insect and grub-eating genera, one is not surprised to find them absent, as well as all the Flycatchers and Warblers.

Amongst the Timeliidæ, or Babbling Thrushes, we have the Satin or Silky Bower-Bird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus) represented by two specimens only, and luckily a Regent-Bird (Sericulus melinus).

Babblers and Timelliidæ are absent, but among the Laniidæ, or Crow-Shrikes, both a male and a female of the Black-backed Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen) and a splendid male bird, as well as a young male, of the White-backed Magpie (G. leuconota), delight the ear of the visitor.

All the genera of the sub-family of Pachycephalinæ, as well as the whole of the representatives of the families Certhiidæ and Nectariniidæ or Sun-Birds, are absent, and among the long list of Meliphagidæ the Warty-faced Honey-eater (Meliphaga phrygia) is a solitary bird, which has been placed in the Parrot-house.

The numerous species of Wood-Swallows have one representative—namely, the Masked Wood-Swallow (Ariamus personatus).

Of Weavers there are several, all placed in the Parrot-house or the Insect-house, such as the

Chestnut-eared Finch (Tæniopygia castanotis).

Banded, or, as here called, Bicheno Finch (Stictoptera bichenovii).

Chestnut-breasted Finch (Munia casianeithorax),

Modest, or, according to bird vernacular nomenclature, Plum-head Finch (Aidemosyne modesta),