192 CAMPBELL ami SOX, Typr Descriptions ^fS" 



Lastly the \alue of type specimens cannot be o\er-estimated, 

 and they should be deposited in national collections. f 



"That the R.A.O.U., recog^nising the value of the International 

 Code of Zoological Nomenclature, Berne, 1904, is of opinion 

 that : 



(a) For new Type Descriptions (see Article 21), the use 

 of a mere "indication" is not the intention of the Code. 



(h) Nothing but a good description of any new genus, 

 species, or sub-species of Australian birds will be ac- 

 ceptable to Australian students. 



(r) That for such 'Py[)e Descriptions a standard be set 

 to a specified schedule based on descriptions, such as 

 are used in British Museum Cataloijues of Birds." 



Acanthizae or Thornbills 



A. G. CAMPBELL, J. P., R..V.O.'J., Croydon, Victoria. 



(Read before R.A.O.LI^. Annual Congress, Adelaide. 

 18th October, 1922.) 



In tropical regions of Australia with over -K) inches rainfall 

 per annum Acanthizae are not generally found, their place being 

 taken by Gerygonc, which are closely allied in structure and 

 habit. From 40 to 30 inches mark the most favoured portions 

 of the Continent, many of the highlands and most of the heavily 

 timbered coastal areas of the east being in that position. From 

 30 to 20 inches represent ai)jiroximately the temperate portions 

 and more open forest regions of the south-east and south-west 

 as well as the elevated ])astoral regions of the east beyond the 

 coastal fringe. While from 20 to 10 inches include the lightly 

 timbered lowlands, most of them e.xtremely flat, and all the wheat 

 belts, subject to periodic drought. 



Below 10 inches per annum, rainfall is erratic, and conditions 

 are und(jubtedly eremian or desert. The stronghold of .Icanthizae 

 is in the normal region of 30 to 20 inches, with strong tendency 

 toward the regions of lower rainfall. 



This distribution in the luain also represents the true range 

 of the Eucalyptus forest from heavy to light timber and dwarf 

 varieties. 



The close altinity between the fauna and llora of south-eastern 

 and south-western Australia leads to the belief that they were 

 once connected by a direct land belt of somewhat similar condi- 

 tions; that is. the continent once extended a considerable distance 



tSee Chapman. "What arc Type Specimens." Vic. Nat., vol. xxix. 

 p. 59. 



