120 yiAiKV.Wri, The Admission of Colour-Genera. \ 



Emu 



of generic differentiation were as faithfully adjudicated upon 

 there would be few genus-lumpers left. I would digress here to 

 explain my own position, and would quote what I said at this 

 meeting : — " I am compelled to side with those who maintain that 

 colour must be utilized in the differentiation of generic groups. 

 and am confident that this view will latterly prevail universally. 

 I say this with confidence, as I was first influenced by the view ot 

 the professed adherents of the so-called ' structural ' school, and 

 my first ' List of the Birds of Australia ' was prepared with that 

 view as my basis. During its preparation I was being continually 

 impressed with the inadequacy of the structure of a bird as a clue 

 to its generic affinity, and, later, a monographic study of the 

 Petrels compelled the rejection of that fallacy, as I soon reahzed 

 that even in the mind of those who counselled the usage of 

 structural characters alone colour was often the chief factor con- 

 sulted. Study of colour evolution from the nesthng to the adult, 

 and the recognition of colour-genera, would certainly obviate 

 many anomalies in the Australian avifauna, as is to be found, 

 foi" instance, in the genus Pachycephala of authors, if it did not 

 altogether prevent them. The latter result would be achieved 

 if careful study of the birds was undertaken, and attempts to 

 group them by means of colour were made at the time of the 

 introduction into the genus of each new form. It should always 

 be remembered that the available ' structural ' parts of a bird- 

 skin are, comparatively speaking, trivial and unreliable, as these 

 are more liable to variation by wear and tear than is the colour- 

 pattern of the feathering of a bird." 



It will be remembered that I once wrote strongly upon the 

 subject of " genus lumping," and my conversion is simply due to 

 detailed study of various groups. I will hereafter give Pachy- 

 cephala as an example, but would note that, without restriction 

 by means of colour, this genus covers the most peculiar assort- 

 ment of forms, and anything from the Austral-Malayan region 

 may be here referred with a certain degree of surety. Members 

 of Pachycephala, sensu lat., now figure in distinct families, widely 

 separated. 



To revert to Dr. Lowe's statements, he showed : — " We find 

 that certain distinctive colour-schemes are characteristic and 

 proper to certain families or genera of birds, quite irrespective 

 of the fact that such groups of birds are exposed to precisely 

 similar environment." This is evident when we examine any 

 collection made in any locality where varied colours are met 

 with. Many of these coloured birds seem to show designs with no 

 useful purpose — i.e., greenish Honey-eaters might be supposed to 

 be protectively coloured and brownish ground-birds be similarly 

 situated ; but how does the brilhant coloration of the Superb 

 Warbler* help it ? Such studies can be carried out by any Aus- 

 trahan ornithologist, and the results of careful observation would 



* The bright colours of the male Superb Warblers are usually explained 

 by Darwin's theory of sexual selection. They are generally seen close to 

 cover. — Eds. 



