On a review of the above Table it will be seen that 385 species inhabit New South Wales, 289 South Australia, 243 Western Australia, 230 Northern Australia, and 181 Van Diemen’s Land; and that of these, 88 are peculiar to New South Wales; 16 to South Australia; 36 to Western Australia; 105 to Northern Australia, and 32 to Van Diemen’s Land.
The great excess in the number of species inhabiting New South Wales is doubtless attributable to the singular belt of luxuriant vegetation, termed brushes, which stretches along the southern and south-eastern coasts between the ranges and the sea, and which is tenanted by a fauna peculiarly its own.
Although this part of the continent is inhabited by a larger number of species than any other, it is a remarkable fact that the species peculiar to Northern Australia are much more numerous than those peculiar to New South Wales.
It is curious to observe also, that while Southern Australia is inhabited by a much larger number of species than Western Australia, those peculiar to the former are not half so numerous as those peculiar to the latter.
The more southern position, and consequently colder climate of Van Diemen’s Land, will readily account for the paucity of species found in that island.
By the term peculiar, I do not mean to convey the idea that the birds are strictly confined to the respective countries, but that as yet they have not been found elsewhere.
Aquila fucosa, _Cuv._ Wedge-tailed Eagle 1 —— Morphnoïdes, _Gould_ Little Australian Eagle 2 Ichthyiaëtus leucogaster White-bellied Sea Eagle 3 Haliaster leucosternus, _Gould_ White-breasted Sea Eagle 4 —— sphenurus Whistling Eagle 5 Pandion leucocephalus, _Gould_ White-headed Osprey 6 Falco hypoleucus, _Gould_ Grey Falcon 7 —— melanogenys, _Gould_ Black-cheeked Falcon 8 —— subniger, _Gray_ Black Falcon 9 —— frontatus, _Gould_ White-fronted Falcon 10 Ieracidea Berigora Brown Hawk 11 —— occidentalis, _Gould_ Western Brown Hawk 12 Tinnunculus Cenchroïdes Nankeen Kestril 13 Astur Novæ-Hollandiæ New Holland Goshawk 14 —— —— (albino) White Goshawk 15 —— radiatus Radiated Goshawk 10 —— approximans, _Vig. & Horsf._ Australian Goshawk 17 —— cruentus, _Gould_ West Australian Goshawk 18 Accipiter torquatus Collared Sparrow Hawk 19 Buteo melanosternon, _Gould_ Black-breasted Buzzard 20 Milvus affinis, _Gould_ Allied Kite 21 —— isurus, _Gould_ Square-tailed Kite 22 Elanus axillaris Black-shouldered Kite 23 —— scriptus, _Gould_ Letter-winged Kite 24 Lepidogenys subcristatus, _Gould_ Crested Hawk 25 Circus assimilis, _Jard. & Selb._ Allied Harrier 26 —— Jardinii, _Gould_ Jardine’s Harrier 27 Strix castanops, _Gould_ Chestnut-faced Owl 28 —— personata, _Vig._ Masked Barn Owl 29 —— tenebricosus, _Gould_ Sooty Owl 30 —— delicatulus, _Gould_ Delicate Owl 31 Athene Boobook Boobook Owl 32 —— maculata Spotted Owl 33 ——? connivens Winking Owl 34 —— strenua, _Gould_ Powerful Owl 35 —— rufa, _Gould_ Rufous Owl 36