146 Royal AtistralasicDi Ornithologists' Union. [i^flan 



examined the series of drawings, and who, writing to the Joiirn. 

 Botany, xL, p. 302 (1902) stated that " Wathng was sent out by 

 James Lee, of Hammersmith (from whose great grandson, bearing 

 the same name, the collection was published), with a view to 

 obtaining material for a book on the natural history of the 

 country." This is obviously a mistake. So is the year 1788 

 above mentioned ; Wathng did not reach Austraha until 1792.* 



Picture No. 9 (an Owl) is the type of Ninox connivens {Falco 

 connivens, Lath.) Latham does not acknowledge the origin of his 

 descriptions, but copies the substance of Watling's MS., which gives 

 the native name as " Goo-ree-a-gang," and that " this bird has a 

 wonderful power of contracting and dilating the iris and pupil." 



10. " New Falcon," Erythroiriorchis radiatiis {Falco radiatus. Lath.) 

 — Watling's note : — " This bird measures, from the top of the head 

 to the end of the tail, 22 in., and from the tip of one wing to the other 

 4 feet. Ii-is doubtful. A new Falcon." 



11. Another painting of Radiated Falcon, with Watling's note: — 

 " The skin of this bird I found nailed up to a settler's hut. It is the 

 only one of the kind ever seen. This drawing is a faithful copy. 

 The settler who shot it says the iris was brown, and remarked that 

 he never saw any bird fly with such swiftness. Its claws, which 

 were long, small,, and sharp, when he took it up, it drove quite through 

 the end of his fingers. A new Falcon. This bird measures, from 

 bill to extremity of the tail, 24 inches." Latham copied the notes, 

 but did not say who wrote them. 



24. Boobook Owl {Strix boobook, Lath.) — Figure is the type. 

 Watling's note : — " This bird is about the size of the common English 

 Owl. Native name, ' Boo-book.' " 



27. Butcher-Bird {Lanius torquatus. Lath). — Type of Cracticus 

 torquatus, although Dr. Sharpe observes it has been generally referred 

 to C. destructor, which name becomes a synonym. Watling's note :— 

 '■■ This drawing is about the natural size." 



57. Scythrops nova-hollandics , Lath. (Channelbill). — Watling notes 

 the native name is " Goe-re-e-gang." Then follow lengthy observa- 

 tions, finishing with : — " I had a wounded bird two days alive, but 

 could not get it to eat ; it bit everything that approached it very 

 severely." Latham transferred the note to his " General History," 

 attributing the story of the wounded bird to a " Mr. White." 



58. Type of the Black-faced Graucalus (Corvtts melanops, Lath.) — • 

 Watling's observation : — " Natural size. This is a bird of prey. The 

 native name, ' Kai-a-lora.' "- 



* Mr. A. H. Chisholm, R.A.O.U., Brisbane, who also contributed some 

 remarks on this subject, concludes thus : — " White's (Surgeon-General John) 

 Joiinial was printed in 1790, and all the plates were dated 29th Dec, 1789. 

 Accordingly, if Mr. Dixon's dates are correct, the Museum was wrong in 

 stating that Watling executed some of the drawings in White's Journal, just 

 as it appears to have been wrong in stating that he was sent out b}^ James 

 Lee. It seems certain, however, that Watling executed many delineations 

 (both paintings and rough sketches) of Australian birds and flowers; and, 

 taking the English and Australian evidence in conjunction, we arrive at the 

 conclusion that many of our best known birds were first named from paint- 

 ings of a talented convict." 



