1 92 1.] Recently published Ornithological Works. 555 



The work will undoubtedly prove most useful to Aus- 

 tralian as well as to other workers, and we shall reserve 

 our further remarks and criticisms until the other volumes 

 are completed. 



Most of tlie coloured plates represent nestlings and are 

 of great interest ; in fact, all the plates are very good and 

 reflect the greatest credit on Miss Medland, the artist who 

 is responsible for them. 



Matheivs on Australian Birds. 



[The Birds of Australia. By Gregory M. Mathews. Vol. ix. 

 pis. 1 & 2, pp. 1-96, pis. 400^411. Loudon (Witlierby), Feb. & Apr. 

 1921.] 



The Fan-tailed Flycatchers are fascinating little birds, 

 with attractive ways and beautiful nests. Among these, 

 Mr. Mathews only leaves one Australian species in tlie genus 

 Rhipidnra, though he aduuts that his Hoiveavis and Setosura 

 are closely allied. They vary in coloration, size of bill and 

 of feet, while Leucocirca is still more easily distinguished by 

 the same characteristics, as Swainson was the first to observe. 

 Bhipidura jiabelUfera is divided by the author into eleven 

 subspecies ; besides those that are extralimital, several were 

 formerly considered worthy of specific rank. This form is not 

 depicted in the Watliiig drawings, but the Rufous Fan-tail 

 {Howeavis) is given two figures. Six subspecies are here 

 recognized for Australia ; those outside need further 

 examination. On page 30 we find a criticism under 

 Setosura of Hartert's opinions, and the objection is raised 

 that some of the subspecies allowed by that author show 

 no real relationships. Mr. Mathews himself gives four for 

 Australia, writing davidi for macgillivrayi preoccupied. 

 Leucocirca tricolor should be Leucophrys (p. 40) ; here 

 there has been a great confusion of names. Mr. Mathews 

 makes four subspecies, one of which (carteri) is new. 



Mastersornis, the genus used by the author for Myiagra 

 preoccupied, is taken to have three species. Of the first 

 the synonymy has been mucli confused, but Latham's 



