QL 671 A92 BIRD THE .XJ S T R -A li Reooe SCIENTIFIC JOURNAL DEVOTED PRBIARILY TO THE STUDY OF THE AUSTRATTAN AVTTTATTN A VOL. V. No. 1 issued xn connexion wixh teoc Austral Avian Museum, Faiii Oak. Hants, Enolamd Bditob GKKGOKY M. MATHEWb Sdbsceiftion peb Volumk 12/- Nbt. H. F. & G. WITHERBY, 326 Hxoh Holbobn, London, W.C.I ./i/iy 17//*, 1922. THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD. Vol. v., No, 1. July 17th, 1922. CONTENTS. PAGE Additions and Corrections . . . . . . . . 1 Notes oe Interest . . . . . . . . . . 10 Jarocki Again . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Thomas Watling, Artist . . . . . . . . 22 ADDITIONS AND CORRECTIONS. By Gregory M. Mathews. Check List, p. 7. Add to synonymy of Pedionomus torquatus Pedionomus ocellatus Pompper, Die Saugethiere Vogel und Amphibien . . . geog. Verb., p. 33, (pref. Mch.) 1841 ; n.n. Apparently error onl3\ The bird described in my Birds of Australia, Vol. I., p. 105, pi. 22, can be called Piilinopus regina yorki, siibsp. n. : Cape York, North Queensland. Check List, p. 12. Manual, p. 257. Add Geophaps scripta peninsula H. L. White, Emu, Vol. XXL, pt. 3., p. 163, Jan. 14, 1922 : Cape York. Check List, p. 20. Alter Reinholdia reinholdi to Reinholdia gavta. [Procellaria gavia Forster, Descr. Anim. ed Licht, p. 148 (pref. Jan. 1st), 1844: Queen Charlotte's Sound, New Zealand.] 2 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. In my Birds of Australia, Vol. 11., pt. 1., p. 72, May 30, 1912, I discussed Puffinus Iherminieri nugax from off Towiisville, Queensland, collected by Solander during Ms famous voyage with Banks. In the Manual of the Birds of Australia, p. 25, March 9, 1921, Iredale and I say that we considered this name to refer to Reinlioldia reinholdi. I now wish to record that a specimen of this last-mentioned bird was picked up dead on the beach in New Caledonia by the late ]VIr. P. D. Montagu in 1914. It has all the upper- surface, including the head, side of neck, back, upper tail- coverts, tail and wing sooty ; all the under-surface, including the wing and tail-coverts white ; the feet and legs coloured the same as those of Reinholdia reinholdi. Wing 197 mm., culmen 32, tail 59, tarsus 41. This can be caUed Reinholdia reinholdi montaguei subsp. n. = Reinholdia gavia montagitei. The Committee of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists' Union have also considered the matter of Puffinus gaviaForsteT and have concluded that the description of tlie upper coloration given by Forster " Coerulescenti-nigra " appUes to the bird in the fresh state. The vernacular name of this species was given by Godman as " Brown-backed Petrel " and all the specimens available in 1910 were " brown," so I rejected Forster's name as inapplicable to this species. Under the new circumstances that the " Brown-backed Petrel " is blue-black when aUve I revert to the Forsterian specific name and the names will then read : Reinholdia gavia gavia (Forster.) Check List, p. 37. Alter references of Leptorhynchus, a synonjin of Gladorhyn- chus, to Leptorhynchus I)u Bus, L'Institut, Vol. III., No. 103, p. 138, April 29, 1835. Type (by monotypy); L. pectoralis Du Bus. Leptorhynchus pectoralis on p. 38, earUest reference reads : Leptorhynchus pectoralis Du Bus, L'Institut., Vol. III., No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 3 No. 103, p. 138, April 29, 1835: New Holland (locality designated Victoria.) Check List, p. 50, Add to synonymy of Spatherodia regia Plat ALE A melanorhynchus " Reichenbach " Pompper, Die Saugethiere Vogel und Amphibien . . . geog. Verb. p. 33 (pref. Mch.) 1841, nom nud. (This suggests Reichenbach pubHshed his name still earlier, so that it may yet prove to have priority over Grould's name. ) H. Pompper in his work " Die Saugethiere, Vogel und Amphibien nach ihrer geographischen Verbreitung tabellarisch zusammengesteUt," published in 1841, the preface dated March, deahng with Austrahan birds, quoted p. 33, Platalea melanorhynchus Reichenbach, Anas poecilothorax Reichenb. and Pedionomus ocellatus Gould. The last named seems to be due to a confusion of the two new genera Pedionomus and Leipoa which had just been pubUshed by Gould, and using the specific name of the last named with the first named genus name omitted Leipoa altogether from his Essay. The quotation of Reichenbach in 1841 suggested the early pubUcation by Reichenbach of the above names. There is a tract in the Brit. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) entitled " Praktisch- gemeinnutzige Naturgeschichte der Vogel des In-und Auslandes von H. G. L. Reichenbach." This is dated 1836 and is a 16-page list of pages, referring to published " Kupfersammlung, erster Theil mit 408 Abbildungen der Schwimm vogel. " On the last page and the last numbers is noted " 407, 408. Die scheckbrustige Schopf-Ente. Anas pcecilo- thorax Rchb. Canard morillon a poitiine tachetee." I have not yet seen the Kupfersammlung but the name is here recorded so that we must look for it as apparently some alteration will be necessary. Reichenbach also used his own Platalea melanorhynchus for the Gouldian regia, and as he was a prioritarian it suggests the earlier publication of Reichenbach's name in this case ako. 4 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. Check List, p. 67. Add to sjmonymy of Urospiza fasciata Falco CAMUS "Lath. MS./' Strickland's Ornithological Synonyms, p. Ill, Nov. 1, 1855, based on Lambert Drawing, Vol. II., No. 7. Check List, p. 67. Add to synonymy of Accipiter cirrhocephalus Falco striatus " Lath. MS.," Strickland's Ornithological Synon^Tns, p. Ill, Nov. 1, 1855, based on Lambert Drawing, Vol. IL, No. I. Check List, p. 69. Add to synom^my of Cuncuma leucogaster Falco aquilus " Lath. MS.,'" Strickland's OiTiithological Spion^-ms, p. 53, Nov. 1, 1855, based on Lambert Drawing, Vol. li., No. 2. Check List, p. 71. Add to synonymy of Falco longipennis Falco subbuteoides " Jameson," Strickland's Ornitho- logical Synonyms, p. 89, Nov. 1, 1855, cited in synonymy. Check List, p. 101. Add to synonjiny of Genus Micropus Apodium Rafinesque, Principes fondamentaux de Somiologie, p. 29, 1814 : new name for Apus Cuv., i.e. Scopoli. Check List, p. 106. The earliest reference of Mcenura magnifica is Mcenura magnifica " Shaw," Deleuze, Hist, et descr. Mus. Royal d'hisG. nat. (Paris), Vol. II., p. 449, June 28, 1823: Nouvelle HoUande. Menura nmgnifica Deleuze, ib., EngUsh edition, Vol. II., p. 346, Aug. 9, 1823 : New Holland. Birds of Australia, Vol. VII. p. 329. The bird described by me as Vidgenia castaneiventris Gould, immature, may be called Vidgenia yorki sp. n. This bird is No. 1] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 5 / figured in the same vol., plate 366, top figure; and in Vol. ' I 3 I VTII., p. 443, for Smicrornis hrevirostris occidentalis Mathews, read 8. h. bonapartei new nanae. Birds of Australia; Vol. VII., p. 312. For Cacomantis rubricatus (Latham) read Cacomantis rufulus (Vieillot) 1817. Birds of Australia, Vol. VIII., p. 97. For Littlera rhrysoptera read Littlera phoenicea. and on p. 103 read Littlera phcenicea phcenicea (Gould). Littlera phcenicea albicans (Mathews). Littlera phcenicea tasmanica subsp. n. The Tasmanian bird is a deeper, redder colour on the under- surface ; the upper-surface is greyer. p. 105. Add to the sj^nonymy of Erythrodryas rodinogaster (Drapiez, 1819) MusciCAPA CHRYSOPTERA Quoy et Gaimard, 1830. The necessity for the above two changes was brought to my notice by the Check List Committee of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists Union. Birds of Austraha, Vol. IX., pt. 5., p. 203. Add to the synonymy of Samuela alisteri (Mathews) Cinclosoma alisteri nullarborensis Campbell, Emu, Vol. XXL, pt. 3., p. 161, Jan. 14, 1922: NuUarbor Plains, East of West Australia. List (1913), p. 202. To synonymy of P. ruficeps add PoMATORHiNUS PiLEATUS Blyth, Journ. Asiatic Soc. Bengal, Vol. XXXII. , 1863, p. 453, " 1864," from Melbourne Institution (I select as type locality Broken Hill, New South "^ Wales). 6 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. p. 213. Add ACANTHIZA PUSILLA NULLAEBORENSIS H. L. White, Emu, Vol. XXI., pt. 3., p. 164: Nullarbor Plains, East of V^^est Australia. p. 241. Add Gymnorhina tibicen eylandtensis H. L. Wliite, ib., p. 163 : Groote Eylandt, Northein Tenitory. List, p. 250. The type of Climacteris is not b}^ original designation as the genus included two species, and Gray, List Genera Birds, 1st ed., p. 18, 1840, selected C. 'picum.nns. Through the confusion of the names, 'picumnus being used for the bird now known as leucophcea, a new genus name was given to picumnus Temm,, -y which was wrong. I now propose the genus name Cormobates for Latham's Certhia leucophcea as determined as equivalent to Climacteris scandens Temminck and Laugier and a rearrange- ment of names and also forms is necessary. Genus Climacteris. Type C. picumnus Temm. & Laug. Climacteris picu7nnus and subspecies. Climacteris picumnus picumnus. Climacteris picumnus victorice Climacteris picumnus australis Climacteris waitei Climacteris rufa and subspecies Clitnacteris rufa rufa Climacteris rufa obscura Climacteris rufa orientalis Climacteris melanota and subspecies Climacteris melanota ynelanota Climacteris melanota barroni Cormobates leucophcea and subspecies Cormobates leuco^ihcea leucophcea Cormobates leucophcea grisescens Cormobates minor No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 7 Cormohates erythrops and subspecies Gormohates erythrops erythrops Cormobates erythrops olinda Cormohates affinis and subspecies Cormohates afjinis affinis Cormohates affinis parsonsi Cormohates affinis superciliosa Cormohates a/ff,nis neositta Whitlocka melanura and subspecies Whitlocka melanura melanura Whitlocka melanura alexandrce Whitlocka melanura wellsi I am admitting C. waitei at present though F. E. Howe has published his suggestion that it is based on immature specimens. As Howe indicated rufa must be transferred from Whitlocka to Climacteris and so must m.elanota, leaving Whitlocka as a very distinct genus, the immature birds being wholly black. I am. allowing C. minor as a distinct species and am also separating the White-browed and Red-browed birds as distinct species, but unfortunately North's name superciliosa was anticipated by Blyth, who proposed Climacteris affinis, Journ. Asiatic Society Bengal, Vol. XXXIL, 1863, p. 453, " 1864." for a bird received from the Melbourne Institution^ probably procured at Broken Hill, New South Wales, which I have ^ selected as the type locality. DiPARDALOTus gen. nov. Type Pardalotus ruhricatus yorki Mathews. SuGOMBL gen nov. Type Myzomela nigra ashhy Mathews. List, p. 286. Add Myzantha obscura ortoni Ashby, Emu, Vol. XXL, pt. 4, p. 254, April, 1922: Moora, 100 miles north of Perth, West Australia, and the same inland. 8 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. List, p. 312. ~f- Craspedophora magnifica yorki, subsp. n. Cape York. Differs from C. p. claudia Mathews, in having tlie throat and iipper-'breast less green and the featliers more pointed. This is necessary, as alherti is preoccupied by Ptilornis alherti Gray, Handl. Gen. Sp. Birds, pt. I, p. 105, 1869, = Feb. 2, 1870 as synonym of C. magnificns. List p. 315. Add to synonymy of Neostrepera versicolor Barita griseus Quoy & Gaimard Frorieps Notizen Bd. 12, No. 253, col. 166, Dec. 1825 : Port Jackson, New South Wales. id., Ann. Sci. Nat. Paris, Vol. 5, p. 484, 1825 (1826). id., Voy. de I'Uranie et la Physic Zool. Add p. 711, June 14, 1826. List, p. 208. ~^ Leachena crocea boweri subsp. n. Differs from L. crocea in its lighter upper-surface (olive- brown ) and the yellow under-surface being not so pronounced. The female differs from the female of crocea in having the head, neck all round, and throat almost lacking any yello^^' colour. Type : Fitzroy River, North-west AustraUa. Cerchneis unicolor Milligan. The following description was taken from the type, cf. Mathews Birds of Australia, Vol. V., pt. 3, May 23rd, 1916, plate 257 : — Adult male. — General colour above rich fawn, or deep cimiamon rufous, including the liead, back, wings and tail ; the feathers of the head with naiTow black shaft lines, which •widen out on tlie hind neck and mantle, more broadl\' on the scapulars and wing-coverts, where they become spear-shaped ; the median and greater wing-coverts and innermost-secondaries barred with black ; bastard-wing dark brown margined with rufous ; primary-coverts dark brown spotted and margined with rufous, more broadly at the tips ; primary- quills dark No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 9 brown coarsely notched with buffy white on the inner webs, the inner primaries spotted on either web and tipped with rnfous ; the secondaries similar but more coarsely marked and deeply toothed with buffy white on the inner webs ; tail like the back, but somewhat paler, and barred with black and a broad subterminal dark band and buffy white tips ; a narrow black eye-brow ; base of forehead tinged with grey ; a dark spot immediately below the fore part of the eye ; ear- coverts grey with dark shaft-lines ; under-surface pale cinnamon rufous, including the under wing-coverts and under tail-coverts, the latter rather darker, with dark shaft-lines on the breast, sides of body, and axillaries. Culmen light reddish- blue, cere light blue with yellow tinge ; tarsi and feet pea- green. Total length 298 mm.*; culmen, from hinder part of cere, 15; wings clipped; tail 135; tarsus 39; middle toe and claw, 33. Figured in my Birds of Australia, Vol. V., pi. 257. Collected at Yalgoo, West Australia, January 1904. In Vol. IV., p. 116, opposite " p. 67," for leracidea berigora read Falco longipennis Swainson, 1838. Check List, p. 73 : List (1913), p. 114. Add to synonymy of Spiloglanx novceseelandiae Strix nov^hollandi^ " Lath. MS.," Strickland's Ornitho- logical Synonyms, p. 165, Nov. 1, 1855, as synonym of Athene hoohook, Latham. 10 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. NOTES OF INTEREST. By Gregory M. Mathews. TITIAN PEALE'S BIRD VOLUME. The Vlllth volume of the United States Expl. Exped., written by Peale, is famed on account of its rarity and the number of new specific names therein proposed. The copy in the British Museum bears a label — " Presented by the Congress of the United States to the Government of Great Britain." On pp. ix. to xi. there is a "List of Plates, I. to LXXXIV," which never appeared in this connection, being re-arranged and altered, and 42 plates only issued under the editorship of J. Cassin. On p. xii. is a " List of Woodcuts," and pp. xiii. to XXV. give the contents, thus : p. XV. Buteo solitaria. p. 62. Reference to pi. xvi. Circus juxta. p. 64. „ „ xvm. Falco ferox. p. 67. ,, ,, xviii. and so on. In the text on p. 64 Circus approximans is described and this is the name this Harrier still bears. Apparently it should be known as Circus juxta as this name has anteriority and a direct reference is given. Dr. Richmond favoured me with this item and it is now placed on record at his request. There does not seem any other complication, but at the end there is a Catalogue of the Specimens of Mammalia and Birds collected, where appears, p. 308, ^s^?;r/eroa; Peale N.S.W. ;p. 315, Barita cinerea Peale N.S.W. ; p. 326, Daceloalbifrons'Pesile'N.Q. ; and p. 332, Scolopax hohnesii. The two former do not appear to be otherwise mentioned, but the two latter appear as MS. names in synonymy on p. 160 under Dacelo vagans, and on p. 229 under Gallinago aucklandica respectively. Two other MS. names are noted in synonymy : p. 292, Thalassidronm plumbea, Peale MS., as synonym of T. furcata Hinds, pi. Lxxvrn. ; and p. 295, Procellaria Candida, Peale MS., under P. nivea, pi. lxxxi., from 64° S., 104° W., the latter doubtfully. No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 11 BRITISH MUSEUM PUBLICATIONS. As heretofore noted, the date of the preface was intended for date of pubhcation, but often this rule was not adhered to. However, there is a series preserved in the British Museum (Natural History) with the date of receipt written therein. This seems to be of importance, so the following notes are here given. Date of Preface date. Receipt. List Spec. Birds B.M. : Pt. I., Accipitres Feb. 12. 1844 2nd ed. Feb. 12, 1848 Mar. 28, 1848 II., Sect. I. Fissirostris 1848 Nov. 6. 1848 III., GaUinse GraUse, etc. 1844* III., Sect. I., Ramphastidoe 1855 Nov. 6, 1855 II., Psittacidse Mar. 1, 1859 May 28, 1859 III. and IV.f Jan. 1868 Apr. 23, 1869 IV., Columbse Apr. 12, 1856 May 16, 1856 v., Gallinsef 1867 Mar. 20, 1867 List Spec. Brit. Anim., B.M. : Pt. III., Birds 1850 July 26, 1850 IX., Eggs Brit. Birds Feb. 16, 1852 Mar. 20, 1852 Cat. Brit. Birds Coll., B.M. 1863 Mar. 30, 1864 Cat. Mamm. Birds Nepal Pres. , Hodgs, B. M Dec. 10, 1846 2nd ed. Jan. 5, 1863 Sept. 15, 1863 Cat. Mamm. Birds New Guinea, B.M Dec. 1, 1858 Feb. 8, 1859 Cat. Birds Trop. Isl. Pac. Ocean, B.M Oct. 1, 1859 Mar. 7, 1860 * Received by the Boston Soc. Nat. Hist, on or before Oct. 2nd, 1844. t Taylor & Francis state that actually the List Spec, pt. iii., sect. iii. & IV. was published on Feb. 27, 1868, and pt. v. was issued on March 6, 1867. 12 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. Date of Preface date. Receipt. Cat. Gen. Subgen. Birds B.M., G. R. Gray . . . . Apr. 0, 1855 Apr. 18, 1855 Handl. Gen. Sp. Birds, B.M. G. R. Gray, pt. i. . . May 10, 1869 Feb. 2, 1870 11. .. Nov. 9, 1870 Nov. 23, 1870 III. .. July 8, 1871 Aug. 18, 1871 It will be seen from the preceding that most of the books were issued soon after the preface date, and the notewortli}' case is that of the Cat. Gen. Subgen. Birds, which proves to have been issued very near the preface date. The first five vohimes of the Catalogue Birds Brit. Museum also show the receipt dates as follows : — Vol. I. Preface date. June 1, 1874. Received July 2, 1874 II. Dec. 1875. Dec. 14, 1875 III. June 1877. July 24, 1877 IV. March 1879 March 26, 1879 V. Jan. 14, 1881 Sept, 5, 1881 The last now needs investigation, but I hope to get correct details of the whole series later. REICHENBACH, CABANIS & BONAPARTE. In Wiegmann's Archiv. f iir Naturg. , pt. ii, for 1849, Hartlaub includes " Avium Systema Naturale. Das natiirliche System der Vogel. Mit 100 Tafeln Abbildungen der Kennzeichen der bis jetzt entdeckten 925 Gattungen aller Welttheile " ist der Titel. . . . dessen erste Halfte, 50 Kupfertafeln imifassend, vor uns leigt. Der Text fehlt noch und somit die Berechtigung zu einem eigentlichen Urtheil." The following are the only notices I have : — p. 56. " Reichenbach anderte den Namen Hylomanes sehr willkiihrUchm Momotula um : Syst. Av. nat., t. 48." p. 57. "Reichenbach dagegen creirt in seinem 'Av. System. Natur.' flir Troch. recurvirostis u.s.w. die Gattung Avocettula, fiir stephanoides die Gatt. Eustephayiiis, No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 13 58. p. 63. p. 66. fiir platura u.s.w. die Gatt. Steganurus, fiir aqiiila die Gatt. Eutoxeres, fiir Underwoodii die Gatt. Eriocnemis (Spathura, Gould) u.s.w. — Jedenfalls wird es die .schonste Confusion geben." Fiir Orthonyx icterocephalus Lafr. (Muscic. ochro- cephala Gm.) criert Reichenbach die Gattung Clitonyx, obgleich auch schon Less, diesen Vogel unter dem Namen Mohoua generisch gesondert hatte : Av. Syst. Natur. t. 38." Reichenbach bildet fiir Phoenicophaeus Cumingii die Gattung Lepidogrammus : Av. Syst. Natur. t. 47." Reichenbach erhebt Podiceps gularis von Neuholland zur Gattung Tachyhaptus : Av. System. Natur. t. 2." Bonaparte, Consp. Gen. Av., Vol. I., p. 518, 1850, synonymised Byrseus Reich with Hypoloxias Licht, but carefully noted " ex specimine." On p. 19 of the Catal. Coll. Birds Strickland by Salvin 1882 there is a footnote to Hypergerus Reichenbach, Av. Syst., pi. liv, 1850, which reads " No types whatever are indicated under the generic names introduced in this work of Reichenbach's. But the names of the types were, I believe, communicated by letter to G. R. Gray, and pubhshed by him in his " Catalogue of the Genera and Subgenera of Birds (1855)." In view of this statement it is interesting to cite Gray's types of the names recorded by Hartlaub : — Hartlaub. Gray. Momotula for Hylomanes Missing Avocettula Troch. recurvirostris Ornismya avocetta Less. Eustephanus Steganurus Eutoxeres Troch. stephanoides Troch. platura Troch. aquila Trochilus galeritus Mol. Trochilus addse Bourc. Trochilus aquila Lodd. 14 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. Eriocnemis Clitonyx Lepidogrammus Tachybaptus Hartlaub. Troch. underwoodi Muscic. ochrocephala Phoenicophaeus cumingii Podiceps gularis Gray. Ornismya vestita Long. Muscicapa ochro- cephala Gm. [as of 1853] Dasylophus cumingii Eras. Colymbus minor Gm. Again Cabanis, Mus. Hein., Vol. T., uses a lot of Reichenbach's names, and these may date from that entry, as there can be little or no certainty in the identification of the figures given by Reichenbach. Thus Gray in 1855, p. 75, includes " Periporphyrus Reichenb. 1850. Loxia erythromelas Gm. Caryothraustes Reichenb. 1850. Pitylus atroolivaceus Lafr." Cabanis, p. 144, used Caryothraustes Reichb. 1850 for C. viridis 1\ oh =^C. cayanensis J^vias. ^=Coccothraiistesviridis Vieill. and C. hrasiliensis Nob with a footnote " Der brasilische Vogel ist in alien Dimensionen grosser als der von Cayemie, welcher nach Limie zuerst von Vieillot benaimt wurde. — Pityliis atro- olivaceus Lafr. gehort wahrscheinlich nicht zu Caryothraustes, sondern als Weibchen zu Periporphyrus atropurpuratus (Lafr.)" This is probably with reference to some discussion unknown, as Bonaparte p. 503 had included Periporphyrus Reichenb. 1850 with two species Pitylus atropurpuratus Lafr. and Loxia erythromelas Gm. and Caryothraustes Reichenb. 1850 with Pitylus atro-olivaceus Lafr., Fringilla episcopus Licht. and Loxia canadeneis J^.^^ cayanensis Bp. A good instance of the confusion even at that time is seen in the instance of Prosecusa. Cabanis used this (p. 110) as of Reichenb. 1850 for Lanius melanocephalus Gm. and in a footnote stated " Typus der Gattung. ist P. chalcocephala=Ixo8 chalcocephalus Temm." Gray, in 1855, p. 47, cited Prosecusa Reichenb. 1850 as a synonjin of Brachypodius Bl. 1845 with type Lanius melano- No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 15 cephalus Gmel., and then on p. 58 recorded : " Prosecusa Cab. 1851, et p. Reiclienb. 1850 " with type Turdus chalcocephalus Temm., but did not use it for the latter, although this to-day seems its correct usage. The correct sequence of the Reichenbach names then appears to be as follows : — Reichenbach 1849-1850. Accurately undeterminable. Bonaparte 1850. Consp. Gen. Av. Cabanis 1851. Mus. Heine, Vol. I. Reichenbach himself. 1852-3. Gray 1855. Cat. Gen. Subgen. Birds. Hartlaub in the Bericht. des Jahres, 1851, p. 4, wrote : " Dr. J. Cabanis ist eifrig beschaftigt mit der Anfertigung eines ' rasonnirenden Catalog's ' der ausgezeichneten ornitho- logischen Sammlung des Oberamtmanns F. Heine auf St. Burchard bei Halberstadt. Von dieser sehr inhaltreichen und wichtigen Arbeit sind bereits an 150 Seiten gedruckt, und wir konnen uns um so weniger versagen, derselben hier schon vor dem Erscheinen mit einigen Worten zu gedenken, als bei dem etwas weitlaiiftig angelegten Plane des Buches leicht noch einige Zeit bis zur Beendigung desselben vergehen mochte." In the Bericht . . . des Jahres 1852 Hartlaub, p. 27, records : " Dr. J. Cabanis ' Museum Heineanum,' 1 Vol. 8, 233 Seiten." For 1860, p. 41, is written "Von J. Cabanis' 'Museum Heineanum ' erschein endlich ! ein zweiter die Clamatores umfassender Theil 175 S." For 186 L p. 52, states " Von Cabanis und F. Heine's ' Museum Heineanum ' ist mit dem dritten Theile, die Strisores umfassend, der erste Band beendigt." In the Bericht, 1863, p. 3 : " Auch Cabanis und Heine's * Museum Heineanum ' hatte erfreulichen Fortgang. Ein vierter Theil " and here occurs the historic phrase " Furor genericus in stadio incrementi" sometimes credited to Dr. P. L. Sclater. 16 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. Consequently many generic names at present credited to Cabanis 1850 as was done by Gray, Cat. Gen. & Subgen. Birds, 1855, were first published by Bonaparte in the Consp. Gen. Av. 1850, but probably all have the same types as fixfed by Gray : thus e.g. : — Thamnoleea Cab. 1850, Bonap. C.G.A., 1., p. 302, type as fixed by Gray. Myrmecoeichla ,, 302 do. Dromolaea ,, 302 do. Myiotlilypis „ 311 do. Lioptilus ,, 332 do. and monotypic. Hemithraupis ,, 311, type by Cabanis, p. 21. While the following names given by Reichenbach appear to be first legitimately used by Bonaparte in the C.G.A., Vol. I. :— Gymnomystax Reichb. 1850 p. 431. Type as given by Gray, also monotypic. Cyrtotes p. 437. Do, do. Quelea P- 445. Do. do. Foudia P- 445. Do. Steganura p. 449. Do. Tetraenura P- 449 , Gray makes syn. of Vidua. Coryphegnathus P- 450. Type as given by Gray. Padda P- 451. Given by Gray as syn. of Oryzornis Cab. 1857. Maja P- 451. Tautonymic type. Steganopleura P- 456. Type Gray 1855, p. 76, F. bichenovii V. and H. Volatinia P- 473. Not cited by Gray. Chloromis P- 492 { is syn. of Psittospiza Bp. 1849. No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 17 Pheuticus p. 504, As syn. of Coccoborus Cab. ex Sw. Callacanthis p. 507. Type as given by Gray. Tephrospiza p. 519. As syn. of Poliospiza Scliiff i.e. Bp. Hartlaub's records in Wiegmann's Archiv. are not reliable in doubtful cases as instance : Bericht. des Jaiires 1850, p. 57 : " Falcunculus Gouldii Caban. Bp. Consp., p. 365 (Catal. Mus. Heine, p. 66), Siidostl. NeuhoUand." Bonaparte's page 361 is dated " 4 Maii. 1850 " and Bona- parte does not quote Cabanis' page but * the species as new, writing " F. gouldi Caban. {jrontatus Gould) Austr. II., t. 79, ex Austr. m. or." Cabanis has F. gouldi Nob. on p. 66, but in a footnote to 53 quotes Bonaparte's Consp. pag 320. Further, Hartlaub, p. 59, cites " Alauda clot hey Bp., p. 242 (1st eins mit Hierapterhina Cavaignacii Desm. 1851)." The latter was published in Jan. 1851 and is included in the 1851 record, p. 30. It is obvious, therefore, that Hartlaub included data of unpublished items in bis yearly accounts and this must always be borne in mind while using his Records. DESCR. CATAL. SPEC. NAT. HIST. IN SPIRIT, MUS. ROYAL COLL. SURGEONS ENGLAND, 1859. No authority is given for the various names included in this work, various names as J. E. Gray, Owen, Gerard and James being referred to in the Preface. Of great interest to Austrahan workers is the paragraph on p. ii. of the Preface : " Many of the specimens now included in tliis Volume, besides being of great rarity, are interesting from the fact of their being the first of the kind brought to this country ; amongst them may be included many of the originals described and figured in ' White's Journal,' and in the ' Zoology of New Holland,' and more especially those presented to Mr. Hunter by Sir Joseph Banks in 1792, which 18 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. had been collected by Dr. Solander and himself, in their voyage round the world with Captain Cook." As an Appendix includes some names of Australian Birds, these are here given. p. 146. 719a. a species of Columba [Columha Tallu Shaw). Fig. Sliaw MS. in Coll. of Surgeons. Hab. New Holland. 729a. The Merops calm Shaw. Fig. Shaw MS. in Coll. of Surgeons. Hah. New Holland. 752a. The Motacilla acanthura Shaw. {Sylvia acanthura Lath.) Fig. Shaw MS. in Coll. of Surgeons. Hab. New Holland. STRICKLAND'S ORNITHOLOGICAL SYNONYMS. In Ornithological Synonj^ms by Strickland, pubUshedNov. 1, 1855, the Latin names written by Latham on the Drawings in Lord Derby's possession, the original " Lambert " drawings, are quoted in synonymy and these appear to differ from the names subsequently published by Latham. p. 53. F(alco) aquilus Lath., New S. Wales, Dr. ii., p. 69. No. 2 as syn. of Haliaetus leucogaster Gm. p. 89. Falco lunatus LatJi., New South Wales, p. 71. Dr. ii., No. 3 as syn. of Falco lunulatus Lath. Falco subbuteoides Jameson is also cited as a synonym. Ii. 111. Falco camus Lath., New S. Wales, Dr. ii., p. 67. No. 7 as syn. of Accipiter approximans (Vigors). Falco striatus Lath., New S. Wales, Dr. ii., p. 67. No. 1 as syn. of Accipiter melanops (Latham) 1801 used for Falco torquatus Temm. No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 19 p. 165. Strix novselioUandise Lath. N.S. Wales, p. 75. Dr. ii., No. 8 as syn. of Athene boobook Lath. In a Catalogue of Books published by Mr. Van Voorst, dated London, December 1860, there appears an advertisement of this book " Vol. I., containing the Order Accipitres, 12s. 6d. Vol. II. in the press." As far as I know the second volume was never published, but our friend Captain H. S. Gladstone has allowed the examination of a copy in his possession, formerly belonging to the late Dr. P. L. Sclater, which consists of the first volume and bound up with two sheets of Vol. I. Quaritch, JL'^ I from whom this was bought, has written "All pubhshed " but on what authority I know not. The two sheets are signatured B and C and apparently are paged proofs sent to Dr. Sclater for his assistance. The matter consists of the Family Capri- mulgidse, covering the genera Steatornis, Podargus, Batracho- stomus, Nyctibius, Selochusa, ^Egotheles, Caprimulgus, Antro- stomus, Nyctidromus, Eleothreptus, Scotornis, Hydropsalis, Macrodipteryx, Cosmetornis, Eurystopodus and part of Chordeiles. On several pages the year 1859 is quoted. MORE DATES. Horsfield and Moore, Cat. Birds Mus. E. India Comp., Vol. II. (see ante Vol. IV., pfc. 7). My copy has "Dr. Hartlaub. By order of the Hon^le Court of Directors of the East India Company, June 30th, 1858." The Calcutta Journal Nat. Hist. Vol. I., 1840-1841. My copy has written on Part I. " Reed. Canton River, June 20th, 1840." Part II. " Reed. Chusan, Sept. 14, 1840." 20 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. JAROCKI AGAIN. By Gregory M. Mathews and Tom Iredale. Our friend, Dr. C. W. Richmond, having acquired another work by Jarocki, forwarded it to Mr. C. 1). Slierborn and requested us to report upon it as we had dealt with another work by the same author. The present work was published in 1819, two years before Jarocki published Ms Zoologiia, and presents a straightforward little Synopsis of Birds, based on Cuvier\s system. It begins with a dedication (2 pages), then " Laskawy Czytelniku!" (2 pages), and 1 page " Tlomaczenie wyrazow skroconych " (a list of abbreviations used for works cited), 1 page " Ostrzezenie (Corrections). Then follows 69 pages with the orders and genera diagnosed in Polish with a list of species, names only, in Latin with authority quoted. The equivalent of the generic name in Latin is given in Polish, French, German and English. The equivalent of the Latin specific name is given in Polish only witli the locality. There are two new genera, two new species, a few new specific names and some different spellings. The title page reads '" Spis Ptak6w/w Gabinecie Zoologicznym Krolewsko/ Warszawskiego Uniwersytetu /znayduiacycli sie/a podlug/Xaynowszego Systemu ustawionych/przez/F.P. Rawicza Jarockiego/Nauk Wyzwolonycli i Filozofii iJoktora, Professora Aktualnego Zoo-/logii, Fizyki i Astronomii w Szkole Woiewodzkiey KaUski6y, Czlon-/ka Towarzystwa Mineralogicznego w Jenie, otc./w Warszawie/Naldadem i Drukiem Zawadzkiego i Weckiego U-/przywileiowanych Drukarzy i Ksiegarzy Dworu/Krolestwa Polskiego/1819.'' The new genera are p. 21. Remiz for Parus pendulinus Gmelin alone, p. 62. Eider for Anas ynollissima Gmelin alone. No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 21 The new species are p. 14. Turdus atrogularis Europa. Fully described, p. 46. Tringa macroura Europa. Fully described. While the new names are p. 9. Tichodroma erythroptera. p. 10. Icterus Trupial " Br." for Oriolus icterus Gmelin. p. 12. Pyrrhocorax alpensis " Cuv." for Corvus pyrrhocorax Gmelin. p. 15. Myiothera melanocephala for Certhia spiza var. A. Lath. Myiothera viridis do. C. Lath. p. 26. Pyrrhula rubra " Br." for Loxia pyrrhula Gmelin. p. 30. Bombycivoca americana. Nom. nud. America. p. 39. Gallus japonicus " Br." Nom. nud. Japan. p. 40. Perdix rufo-alba " Br." Nom. nud. Spain. p. 64. Eudites rufogularis (vel septentrionalis). Norway. The mis-spellings (or corrections) are p. 8. Centhia for Certhia, p. 24 Cocothraustes, p. 30 Bombyci- voca, and p. 38 PaE\iro, the last named being corrected to Pavo in the corrections. ^ ■ f. W'K"' cr- 22 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [W.l. V. THOMAS WATLING, ARTIST. By Gregory M. Mathews and Tom Iredale. Some years ago the name of T. Watling came into prominence in connection with Australian birds. Pre\'ious to the publica- tion of the History of the Collections contained in the Natural History Departments of the British Museum, Vol. II., there does not seem to have been any mention of this artist. That volume appeared in 1906, and tlierein Bowdler Sharpe gave a full account of a long series of paintings just previously acquired by that Institution. The account there given was fully relied upon until a couple of years ago, when an independent investigation imdertaken in connection with the liistories of Australian artists proved its inaccuracy. This later account appeared in the Journal and Proceedings of the Royal Austrahan Historical Society, Vol. V., part v., when Wilham Dixson {errore Dixon), only interested in the facts concerning the early artists, pubhshed (p. 227) : " Thomas WatMng, according to his own story, was convicted by a Scotch jury, and sentenced to transportation." ... " My employment is painting for J. W Esq., the non-descript productions of the country." Dixson correctly adds: "This is evidently John White, Surgeon- General to the Settlement," The present account is based on the suggestions provided by Mr. Dixson, who wrote to the British Museum, making inquiries regarding the W^athng drawings. Mr. England, who is in charge of these paintings, at once drew our attention to this inquiry, as he had continuallj^ assisted us in our investigation of the paintings in connection with Australian birds, and together we searched for confirmation of Dixson's results. These were found and will probably also be published by Mr. Dixson, but as his accounts faU outside the scope of the genera] ornithologist we also make use of some of tlie items. There can be no hesitation now in accepting the fac;t that Thomas Watling was a convict who made numerous paintings of scenery and especial objects of Natural History for John Wliite, and that moreover more tlian one of each object was made. The distribution of these paintings when they arrived No. 1] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 23 in England was probably in the liands of John White himself. Further, probably White bought other paintings as well, and naturall}^ at that time would not discriminate between the works of the various artists. The series now in the British Museum (Natural History) studied by Sharpe and well-known as the Watling drawings were not all painted by Wathng, but the work of at least three distinct artists is included. The paintings made by Watling himself are nearly all signed either T. Wathng or Thos. Wathng, whereas none of the others have any signature whatever. Moreover, in connection with many of Watling's paintings notes concerning the birds are given, but none appear on the ones not painted by Watling. The workmanship is quite different, so that the pictures can be separated with ease without reference to the signatures. In the British Museum series the birds alone are indexed to the number of 295 drawings, but some of those are now missing. The list has on the top edge " This Catalogue was wrote by Dr. Latham, author of the ' General Synopsis of Birds,' " and through this note Sharpe concluded that these paintings were the " types " of the new species described by Latham from " Mr. Lambert's Drawings," and notes that these paintings do not seem to have been the property of Mr. Lambert at any time. Herein there appears a slight error on Sharpe's part, an excusable one under the circumstances, as the paintings generally agree well with the descriptions. In his enthusiasm Sharpe also wrote : " Up to the present time it has never been known where Latham obtained the material for describing so many Austrahan birds." Sixty years previously the Lambert drawings had been examined, discussed and reported upon by the three greatest British ornithologists of their day, G. R. Gray, J. Gould and H. Strickland. The article appeared in the Annals Mag. Nat. Hist., Vol. XI., p. 189, et seq., March 1, 1843, and was entitled " Some Rectification of the Nomenclature of Austrahan Birds." By George Robert Gray, Esq. " British Museum Dec. 14, 1842. My Dear Sir— The Earl of Derby having kindly lent me the three volumes of the drawings of Austrahan 24 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. birds which were made by Mr. Wliite, the author of the * Journal of New South Wales,' formerly in the library of the late Mr. A. B. Lambert, from whence Dr. Latham des- cribed most of the Australian species jjubhshed in tlie Supple- ment to the ' Synopsis of Birds and Index Ornithologicus,' my brother has examined for me the s\monyma of these species, and I send you for insertion in the ' Annals ' the result of his labours, as they must be of corL«iderable use to those ornithologists who have not the opportunity of consult- ing the original drawing. Mr. Stiicldand kindly assisted my brother in comparing some of the figures with the specimens in the collection of the British Museum. I am, my dear Sir, Yours very truly, J. E. Gray." Then follows the determination of one hundred and fifteen species, using the Lathamian names, as in the " Names proposed " very many were left undetermined. Apparently Strickland was not satisfied with the con- servatism of G. R. Gray, so he enlisted the services of Gould and pubhshed more details in the same volume two months later (p. 333, et seq.), stating that the paintings were 225 in number, of which the first was a landscape, the next ten of mammals and the rest birds. No title-page, date, or artist's name was found, and though they had been supposed to be the work of John Wliite, Gould differed: " This is probably a mistake ; they were, perhaps, made by some convict. Mr, Lambert told Mr. Prince, upon showing him the draw- ings som^^time before his death, that they were made by an artist in the colony for one of the governors, by whom they were presented to Mr. Lambert. " Strickland also noted: "In 1800 they were borrowed by Dr. Latham, as appears from an autogi'aph letter from liim to Mr. Lambert." Ten years ago the three volumes in the Library of the Earl of Derby were examined, and the paintings considered to be similar to the ones just previously determined by Sharpe. In the library also is the following letter referred to by Strickland, addressed "A. B. Lambert, Esq., No. 26, Lower Grosvenor Street, Grosvenor Square, London. Dear Sir, — ^I hope \'ou will receive back safe your valuable books No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 25 of drawings which I mean to forward by to-morrow's coach, wliich is at Ye Bell Savage, Ludgate HUl. I have according to my promise given a name to each bird, altho' I have been at much loss in respect to ye genus of many of them. Indeed, even ye sizes in some cases have not been noticed, anymore than ye manners. Independent of many circumstances not possible to be assertained by dehneations, unless aided by accurate descriptions, and which, had ye painter been at all versed in ornithology, he could not have failed to have remarked in writing. I should therefore think it not un- likely but in case ye specimens themselves should hereafter come before you or me, we might alter our present opinion. I do not suppose that any other notes in writing can be got at besides those already in your possession, but if so, I should advise you to take ye advantage of it. New subjects wiU no doubt, from time to time arrive from New Holland, and in such case you wiU do well to take the advantage of procuring drawings at least of them, and you cannot do me a greater favour than in granting me a view of them. If it were possible to trace ye circumvolutions of ye trachea in ye Anas semi-palmata 1 should be greatly pleased, and this might be obtained either by bringing a specimen over whole in spirits or by making accurate drawings of the parts on the spot. I must observe to you that several of ye drawings appear to me to have been taken from one and the same species, and which you will find me to have noticed in more places than one. The names I have given are such as struck me to be best adapted, but I am not solicitous to impose them on the world, especially as some persons seem to take pleasure in altering the names of preceding describers, and may do ye same by me, to which, as heretofore, I most readily submit. Have only now to add my real thanks for your great kindness, and remain, dear Sir, Most Sincerely Yours, John Latham. Romsey, 26 Jan., 1800. " I think you must receive your parcel to-morrow evening, or on some part of Tuesday ; if not, be so good as to enquire for it, at ye Inn^ — and at all events make me easy by a line to say it arrives safe, as its contents are too valuable to be lost." 26 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. The post mark on this letter is E Jan. 27, 1800. Apparently Lam})ert prevailed upon him to pubhsh as many new birds as he had indicated by his notes, so Latham pnbhshed his Supplement iT. to the General Synopsis of Birds, and accompanied it b}^ a Supplementum Indicis, wliere all his new species simultaneously were correctly giAen scientific names. * * * * The following plates will prove of interest :- - Muscicapa cucullata Latham. Plate 1. Provided for the Hooded Flycatcher described thus : " Bill and head black ; the last full of feathers ; general colour of the plumage clouded black, but the under-parts are white : the whole of the wings and tail are black, but the lesser quills are fringed with white : legs dusky. Inliabits Neio South Wales.'' Rather curiously in connection with Drawing No. 190 Sharpe wrote : " This drawing must have been intended for P{etroeca) bicolor, though it is not a correct figure,"' overlooking the fact that the name Muscicajvt cucullata had been appUed to the description cited by Latham, and that Gray in 1843 had also recorded : " Muscicapa cucullata Lath. Vieill," = Petroica bicolor ? Gould. Upon reconsideration with Strick- land Gould had allowed the identity, and in his Handbook Mclanodryas cucullata was used in place of Petroica bicolor. Gracula viridis Latham. Plate 2. In connection with the description of his Green Grakle, to which the above name was given, is a note which may be here reproduced. " Green Grakle. This is somewhat less than one foot in length ; general colour pale dull green ; the chin mottled, dusky and brown : tlie under-parts of the body from the breast wliitish, with a few dusky streaks ; wings and tail dusky, the first edged with white, the last even at the end tipped with white ; the bill is stout, a little bent at the point, and of a horn-colour ; tongue half the length of the bill MUSCICAPA CUCULLATA Lath. [Facing paye 26. GRACULA VIRIDIS Lath. [Fadng page 26. No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 27 pointed at the end ; legs black. Inhabits New Holland, where it is said to be a rare bird. It is with, no little difficulty that we have been able to fix limits to the genus of Grakle, more especially to those which inhabit New Holland : and to say the truth, great uncertainty has arisen in respect to other genera also, not only in regard to birds, but quadrwpeds, as well as other classes. It is true, that whenever any difficulty presents itself, it may often be obviated by creating a new genus, and many persons are of opinion that this is the only way to ascertain the place any individual ought to hold in the system ; but although it may be allowed in some instances, it should be in such only where necessity may make it unavoidable : a far better way being in our ophiion rather to strain a trifling point than burthen the memory by forming numerous new genera. On this account I venture to enu- merate the following species, reserving to others the full right of differing in sentiment." The three following are the type of Myzantha, the type of Grallina, and the type of Ento7nyzon, three forms unhesi- tatingly accepted as vahcl groups since their date of introduc- tion a few years after the above was written by Latham. It is interesting to note from Latham's account that there were " genus-splittei's " even at that early date (1801), and that in the doubtful cases recorded the genus-sphtters have been proved to be in the right. The Watling drawing was recognised as portraying the Oriole by Gray, Gould and Sharpe, the name being used without interruption until 1900, when Robinson and Laverock (Ibis, 1900, p. 625) pointed out that Gracula viridis Latham was used for two different birds in the Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. They read the description and allotted the name to the Cat-Bird and accepted Latham's Coracias sagittata for the Oriole. In the case of the latter they proved to be correct, as this name has priority over that of Gracula viridis. They were wrong, however, in applying the latter to the Cat-Bird, as the descrip- tion does not agree so well as with the Oriole, and moreover it proves to be based upon a WatHng drawing which is here seen to represent the Oriole. 28 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. Ixjbnius torqucdus Latham. Plate 8. The description to wliich this Latin name was allotted reads *' Clouded Shrike. Size uncertain ; bill large and bluish ; lore ferruginous ; head, hind-part of the neck, and sides beneath the eye brown ; back and wings the same ; under- parts of the hodiy not unhke tlie upper, but clouded with white ; tail longish ; legs dusky. Inhabits New Holland." Sharpe's notes read: "No. 27. This figure is the type of Lanius torqtmtus Lath., which lias generally been referred to Cracticus destructor. Dr. Gadow considered the description of the Clouded Shrike to be insufficient for recognition. There can, however, be no doubt that the identification is correct, and L. torquatus becomes a synonym of C. destructor, as was determined by Gray, Cabanis, and other good ornithologists." In ] 843 Gray determined " Lanius torquatus Lath. Vieill," from the Lambert drawing to be " Vanga destrvctor, juv., Temm." and proposed that the name should be "Cracticus torquatus.'' At once Gould used the name in Ms Handbook in preference to C. destructor used in the Birds of AustraUa ; Gadow, whose knowledge of bird-skins and nomenclature was very scanty, is apparently responsible for the later rejection, a result almost ridiculous in face of the determination of the real ornithologists. Gray and Gould. Unfortunately Sharpe omitted to state that torquatus had priority and should be utihsed, an incontrovertible fact. Turdus frivolus Latham. Plate 4. This is the Latin name Latham assigned to his Frivolous Thrush, which he described as follows : " Size of the others ; bill black ; legs lead-colour ; the upper-parts of the body and wings brown ; beneath white, inchning to rufous on the sides of the neck and breast, and to 3^ellow on the sides under the wings ; fore-head and half the crown mixed cinereous and white ; quills somewhat paler, and the tail darker than the rest of the plumage ; the last rather short. Found with the former at Port Jackson." "*:^ LANIUS TORQUATUS Lath. ^Facing page 28. TURD us FRIVOLUS Latu. [Facimj puye 28. TURDUS TENEBROSUS Lath. [Facing page 29. No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 29 The preceding is the Maxillary Thrush, already dealt with in this Journal. When Sharpe arrived at Drawing No. 153, with the name Frivolous Thrush, he wrote : " This figure is the type of Latham's description of the Frivolous Thrush. The species should in future bear the name of Pomatorhinus jrivolus (Lath.) Wathng says that his figure is of the natural size. The white tips to tail-feathers are not given in the figure as they were in P. temporalis, but there is no doubt as to the species." Gray in 1843 would not acknowledge the specific identity but wrote: "Pomatorhinus ?" and Gould entered Latham's name with a ? in the synonymy of P. temporalis but would not displace Vigors and Horsfield's specific name. Turdus tenebrosus Latham. Plate 5. In the Supplement to his Index Ornithologus Latham provided Latin names and gave curt diagnoses of the birds he fuUy described in the second Supplement to the General Synopsis of Birds, and he introduced the above name for his Brown-crowned Thrush, whose description reads : " This species is about six inches long ; bill pale blue ; legs black ; back and wings black, but the quills are edged with white ; the chin is black, from thence to the vent white ; but the sides of the body next the wings and the crown of the liead are brown. Inliabits New Holland ; frequently seen about Port Jackson, in Neiv South Wales.'' In this case, when Sharpe examined Drawing No. 144 of the Brown-crowned Thrusli he concluded : " This figure represents the young of the Sordid Thrush, Turdus sordidus Lath. As the name appears on an earlier page than T. sordidus, it must take precedence, and the species must be called Artamus tenebrosus (Lath )." In 1843 Gray referred the drawing to the genus Artamus but would not decide its specific identity, writing " Artamus ? " while Gould would not associate it even suspiciously with any species. 30 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. The young of " sordidus " does not sliow a wlute under surface with a black chin as given in tlie description and seen in the figure. The figure shows the bill of a Wood-Swallow and tlie wing-coloration, but of what species cannot be at present determined. * * * * As a good example of the difficulties in dealing with these drawings, principally through the prejudice of previous workers, the case of Latham's Sylvia rubricata may be cited. When Gra}^ determined, with Strickland, the Lambert drawings, he wrote "Sylvia rubricata Lath. ^10111. = Motacilla solitaria Liewin= Saxicola solitaria V. & }i.=^0rigt7ia solitaria Gould : Origina riihricata." In tliis case Gould was in time to use the novelty in his foHo Birds of Australia and in his Handbook and hence to recent years no challenge was made to the usage. Ignorant of the usage when Sharpe came to Drawing No. 202, he wrote " Ruddy Warbler . . . Sylvia rubricata Cacomantis flabelli formes. ..." He did not suggest any change though it was obvious some was necessary, and when I determined tliat Latham's flabeUi- formis should not be used for the Cuckoo I proposed the usage of rubricata, as undoubtedly the figure No. 202 was a good one of the Cuckoo. The Australian Committee has challenged the application of the description to the Cuckoo, and from tliat point of view the figure and description were at once re-examined with the fact that they are undoubtedly right. Latham's description reads : " This is a trifle larger than the Redbreast : the bill is slender and dusk}' : irides hazel : legs yellow : the plumage above brownish-ash colour : beneath whoUy ferruginous, incUning to ^^ellow : wings and tail brown : the last rounded in shape." This does not apply to Drawing No. 202 (which is of the Cuckoo) in that in the latter the bill is medium and curved, irides dark (? hazel) : legs not 3'ellow : plumage above greyish : pure red ferruginous below, no in- clination whatever to yellow, and tail bluish with white marks ? On the other hand, the description does not apply to the CUCULUS PALLIOLATUS. [Facing pagr. 31. TRINGA AURITA [Facing page 31. No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 31 Rock Warbler, wliich has a distinct throat patch, dark ferru- ginous below exactly unlike the description, and a square tail. Tringa aurita Latham. Plate 6. The Brown-eared Sandpiper, to which Latham attached the above Latin name, was described as follows : " The bill in this is as long as the head, and dusky ; plumage above rusty-ash colour, crossed with numerous whitish lines on the back and wings ; the feathers on the outer-ridge of the wing all edged with white ; over the eye a white streak ; all the under-parts pale, a httle mottled or streaked ; on the ears a brown patch, which passes through the eye, but less distinct ; quills and tail dusky ; legs dusky-white. Inhabits New South Wales." When Gray examined the Lambert drawings he regarded one of these as being the basis of the above description, and wrote : " Tringa aurita Lath. VieiU. Tringoides hyjjoleucus ? " Years later Sharpe, criticising the Wathng drawings, concluded : " No. 244. Brown-eared Sandpiper Lath. . . . Tringa aurita Lath. . . . Heteropygia acuminata (Horsf.) Sharpe, Cat. Birds, XXIV., p. 566." As the name aurita had many years' priority over Horsfield's acuminata it was used in my Handlist, but later re-examination of Watling drawing No. 244 determined its absolute rejection in that connection, as the painting undoubtedl}^ was that of the Common Sandpiper as suggested by Gray. The painting, however, does not exactly coincide in shade with the des- cription, but tJiat is due to age, as otherwise the details agree. Consequent upon the muddle Ridgway has queried the later judgment and hence the reproduction herewith. Cuculus palliolatus Latham. Plate 7. The name Cumulus palliolatus was apj)Ued by Latham (Index Ornith. Suppl., p. xxx., 1801) to the bird he had described as I 32 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. follows under^ the name Tippet Cuckow, in the Suppl. II. Gen. Synops. Birds, p. 138, 1801, as follows : " This is nearly twelve inches long ; tlie bill brown, rather stout, and a trifle curved at the point ; the upper-parts of the body are dull green, the under white ; the crown full of featliers, and as far as the eyes on each side black ; on the sides of the neck tlie black comes forward and almost meets in the middle, giving the appearance of a cloak or tippet ; sides under the wings yellowish ; thighs marked with a few rusty spots ; quills black ; tail very short, tlie outer margins of the feathers marked with wliite spots ; legs dusky bluish- white, dotted with black ; irides orange. Inliabits New Holland, where it is a rare bird." Reference to the Lambert drawings was made in connection with the preceding and succeeding species, and tlus was apparently one of the species founded on those drawings. When G. R. Gray examined these he obsei'ved the drawing agreeing with the above description, and could not determine it, adding : " Chrysococcyx ? " Gould described Chalcites oscidans, and some years later Cabanis and Heine introduced the new generic name Misocalius for Cuculus palUolahis Latham. As a synonym they cited Gould's G. osculaJis. Gould used the genus name Mesocalnis, but pointed out that his osculans was not Latham's C. jxiUwhtns. The fact that Grould misused tlie genus name does not make it valid and as Misocalus was given to Lathams species, wliich may yet be rediscovered, it cannot be used for any other species. In this case it is quite obvious that Latham drew up his description from a painting very similar to the one here re- produced, as the description of the legs is delightful, " dusky bluish- wliite, dotted with black," the black dots being the artist's method of showing the nature of the leg covering, viz., coarsely reticulate. It is possible that the species may not be AustraUan, but the feet sliow it to be a Cuckoo, and tlierefore it should be easily recognisable. 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