38 Stray Feathers. [isf'Tii- 



a pjty this only Australian species of Crane is becoming extinct 

 in Victoria — so graceful of movement, so interesting to watch ! — ■ 

 C. F. Cole. Wangaratta (Vic), 5/6/1920. 



Albatrosses at Sea. — My friend Dr. MacgilUvray has given 

 some very valuable notes on sea-birds, and I wish at once to 

 draw attention to his records of the Flat -billed Albatross in 

 Australian waters. I have just questioned the occurrence of this 

 species, and I note that under date 14th June (p. 171) he wrote : — 

 " The bill is black, with culmen yellow to the tip. One also had 

 a good deal of yellow along the lower border of the mandible." 

 This last is characteristic of chrysostoma, but this specimen was 

 not near Australia. Then, on 20th June (p. 173), about 300 miles 

 S.E. from Cape Lceuwin and directly south of King George's Sound, 

 he recorded T. chrysostoma , and, giving a good description, stated — 

 " Broad yellow stripe on culmen ; no yellow on mandible except 

 at base." This is diagnostic of chlororhynchiis. On the 23rd 

 June (p. 175), near Kangaroo Island, he added for the first time 

 T. chlororhynchus, giving distinguishing features as to coloration 

 of head, &c., and also notes T. chrysostoma. In view of the dis- 

 crepancies noted above, it is urgent that some sea expeditidns 

 should be undertaken to procure specimens, as there is still a 

 strong doubt as to the status of the Flat-billed Albatross in Aus- 

 tralian waters. — Gregory M. Mathews. Foulis Court, Fair Oak, 

 Hants., England, 28/2/20. 



* * =;: 



Correction re Cuckoos. — Mr. Gregory M. Mathews writes : — " I 

 am gratified that Mr. A. J. Campbell has drawn attention to 

 an apparent oversight with regard to the identification of a Cuckoo 

 by his son, whose note I published in " The Birds of Australia," 

 vol. vii., p. 316. Wherever possible I have introduced original 

 notes in preference to copying already published ones, but I have 

 found that many cases of duplication occur, as there is in this 

 instance. Mr. A. G. Campbell sent me the original note which 

 I published, and he also introduced the same matter into a paper 

 which was published in The Emu. Apparently, in the latter 

 place he reconsidered the matter, and gave the correct identifica- 

 tion of the Cuckoo, which he had wrongly identified in the note 

 he sent to me. I am dependent upon the accuracy of the worker 

 for the identification of birds when they are good enough I0 send 

 me notes of habits, &c., and I cannot accept any responsibility for 

 errors, but always try to correct such when pointed out." 



Mr. Campbell repUes : — " Mr. Mathews is welcome to the 

 correction. My son was reared amongst the Square-tailed 

 Cuckoos, and not hkely to confuse these birds with the Fan- 

 tailed species, which he also knows well. Moreover, I was present 

 when the specimen in question (nesthng of the Square-tailed) 

 was procured on the Upper Yarra Ranges. Therefore, any error 

 in identification most likely has occurred on Mr. Mathews's side 

 of the world, and not here." 



