only be accounted for by this fact. The existence, however, of these on King Island has yet to be proved, though remains of an extinct wombat of the Tasmanian species have been discovered in the sand dunes. But when an examination is made of the existing avifauna, it is impossible to dispute its distinctly Tasmanian character. Of some 80 species recorded from King Island 14 are purely Tasmanian, 64 are common to both Tasmania and the mainland (one, a Wren, however, has recently been made a new species), while only two are peculiar to the mainland: one, a small land form (Cisticola), is migratory, and has apparently just overstepped its southern limit; another does not count for much, being a sea bird with roving habit.
In November, 1887, an examination was made of King Island by an expedition organised by the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria. An account of the birds identified, together with other reports, appeared in the official journal of the Club, the Victorian Naturalist, vol. iv., No. 9.
The list published therein is a record of 69 species, most of which are land forms either peculiar to Tasmania or found both in Tasmania and on the mainland. Though 11 more species are now added to the list, there are doubtless some still unrecorded. A residence of several seasons on the island would be the only effectual means of noting all the birds, particularly those that are merely visitants.
It may not be an inopportune time to publish a few extra notes which were collected during a visit in November last; for the face of King Island has so altered during the last fifteen years that it may not be long before some forms are driven away or killed out, as a result of the opening up of the land for dairy farming and cattle rearing. Year by year the native timber (eucalyptus) is becoming less; even now it is a difficult matter to get sufficient for fencing purposes, and the only large tracts on the island, along the east coast, have been decimated by bush fires. The characteristic vegetation is a short, thick scrub, consisting of tea-tree, both Leptospermum and Melaleuca, Banksia, or native honeysuckle, and the broad-leaved "boobyalla" (Myoporum). This scrub occupies sheltered hillsides and pockets between the sand hills, but on the flat areas, which are boggy at some seasons, mostly fresh-water tea-tree (Melaleuca) is found. The gum trees (principally. E. globulus) are found along the valleys of some of the rivulets, and in one or two patches away from running water. Growing in the kindly shade of the eucalypts are frequently found blackwood acacia, hazel, and "boobyalla" trees, with an occasional tree fern, while the ground is clothed with several varieties of ground ferns.
At Pass River there is an excellent patch of native timber, with the birds undisturbed; but that is practically the only spot on the west coast of which this can be said. From a bird's point of view, it is now like an oasis in a desert of pasture.
