234 "^ Valuable Gift to the R.A-.O.U. [,sf "Jan. 



list. In this issue of The Emit Mr. Alexander shows the necessity 

 of defining " Australian Seas " as a preliminary to such action. 



Vol. iii., the largest of the series, deals with the Waders, the 

 Australian Crane, the Australian Stork, the Ibises, Herons, Egrets, 

 and Bitterns. 



A full treatment is accorded the Waders, many species of which 

 are cosmopolitan, and are of great interest, because of the remark- 

 able Siberian migration of over 30 Australian forms. ' Some 

 well-known names are shown to have been used for the wrong 

 birds. The Australian Dottrel is included with the Pratincoles 

 in the family Glareolida . 



The name used for the Australian Crane — Mathcwsia * — was given 

 by Iredale, the old name, Antigone, being considered invalid. 



The Blue and W'hite Reef-Herons, previously thought to be 

 the one species, are treated by Mr. Mathews as two distinct 

 species, which he names Demigretta matook cooktowni and D. greyi. 

 Further investigation is required. 



Vol. iv. treats of the large swimming birds — Swan, Geese, and 

 Ducks — of the order Anseriformes, and the totally webbed 

 swimmers — Cormorants and Darters, Gannets, Frigate-Birds, 

 Tropic-Birds, and the Australian Pelican — of the order Pelecani- 

 formes. Mr. Mathews resorts to fine generic distinctions for the 

 Ducks, but that has become a habit with him. The five Aus- 

 tralian Cormorants, previously placed in one genus, are now 

 placed in four genera. The four Gannets previously placed in 

 the genus Siila are also assigned to four genera. The thirty-five 

 species described in this volume are placed in thirty-two genera. 



Vol. v. contains the birds of prey— diurnal (Hawks and Eagles) 

 and nocturnal (Owls). Fine generic distinctions are again used. 



In a very long discussion on the Boobook Owl, Mr. Mathews 

 gives evidence for considering that the New Zealand and Aus- 

 tralian forms are con-specific. No less than four plates, all named 

 as separate species, are devoted to this interesting bird — the 

 " Cuckoo-Owl " of the earlier settlers. The numerous references 

 and extensive synonymy of the Boobook Owl occupy three pages, 

 so exhaustively has the author treated his subject and so variable 

 is the bird. 



Again Mr. Mathews shows the close relationship of some Aus- 

 tralian birds to those of other lands. The " Dehcate Owl" is 

 shown to be con-specific with the British Barn Owl. Four plates, 

 each named as a separate species, are given of the Masked Owl, 

 further investigation having convinced this critical and honest 

 worker that they were really the one species. Mr. Mathews 

 shows that Tyto should be used instead of Strix, though he 

 mentions a prior Tyta that may possibly invalidate that name on 

 account of " one-letterism." Where two names are derived from 

 the same root or roots, some claim that only the first-used name 

 can be valid. Thus the name Meliphaga for a honey-eater is 

 claimed by Mr. Mathews to be invalidated by a prior Melophagiis 



♦Altered to Mathewsena, Austral Avian Record, vol. ii., p. 88. 



