The range of the Speckled Dove (Geopelia cuneata), so common on the Darling, extended to the Depot, and two remained with us during the winter, and roosted two or three times on the tent ropes over my fire.

There were always an immense number of Raptores following the line of migration, and living on the smaller birds; nor was any thing more remarkable than the terror they caused amongst them.  The poor things would hardly descend to water, and several of the Euphema came to the creek in the dark, when we could not see to fire at them, and several killed themselves by flying against our tent ropes.

The range of the Rose Cockatoo was right across the continent as far as we went—­as well as that of the Crested Parroquet, which was, as I have observed, the last bird we saw, just before Mr. Browne and I turned homewards from our first going to the N.W.  The Cacatua sanguinea, Gould, succeeded the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo to the westward of the Barrier Range, and was in flocks of thousands on Evelyn’s Plains, near the Depot, but I am not certain as to the point to which it migrated.  It is remarkable, however, that the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo, though numerous along the whole line of the Darling, was never seen near the Depot, or to the westward of the Barrier Range.

The Amadina Lathami, to which we always looked as the harbinger of good, was met with in every part of the interior—­where there was water—­and frequently at such vast distances from it, when migrating, I suppose, that vast numbers must have perished.

I have noticed the Pigeons in their proper place, and stated my opinion as to the point to which they went on leaving us; and I would refer my reader to my remarks on that head:  he will find their habits and localities fully described there.

We fell in with the water-hen, Tribonyx, on one of the creeks on our journey to Lake Torrens, and again on Strzelecki’s Creek, apparently migrating to the south.  These birds ran along the banks likefowls, as they did in the located districts of Adelaide, as described by Mr. Gould, and that too in great numbers, and when disturbed took wing to the south.  In like manner we observed the Eudromias Australis, migrating southwards in May.  From these facts it would appear that the great line taken by the feathered tribes in migrating from the southern or southeastern parts of the province is in a direction between the east and south points of the compass, and I cannot still help thinking that about a degree to the north of the Tropic, and about the meridian of 138, a more fertile country than any hitherto discovered will be found.

It may be necessary for me to observe that on our advance to Fort Grey, in August, we observed numerous Caloderae, and other smaller birds in the brushes, apparently on the move whilst there was water for them, that had been left by the then recent rains.  We did not again see these birds until we had passed the Stony Desert and entered the box-tree forest to the north of it, in which was the creek with the huge native well.  There a variety of birds had congregated—­the Rose Cockatoo, the piping Magpie, the Calodera, various parrots and parroquets, bronze-wing Pigeons, and numerous small birds.