Voi.^ xv.T Mathkws, The Admission of Colour-Genera. 121 



really be as useful, if not more so, than simple records of [\iv bird 

 inhabitants of, and visitors to, a place, or egg-collecting. I do not 

 wish to belittle either, as both are most necessary for the advance- 

 ment of ornithological study, but there are many other lines 

 which are at present neglected. Thus, study of the habits of 

 birds in the bush, their actions and methods of living, would be 

 most valuable. 1 have suggested that ecological study of bird- 

 life will later become popular, and once again advocate its study. 

 Dr. Lowe's essay, if it had done nothing else, must have impressed 

 upon British ornithologists the value of the study of nestlings. 

 However the older school may view this subject, the younger 

 British school is taking a great interest in it, and if Australian 

 ornithologists wish to lead the van, here as in other places, they 

 would be well advised to begin in this direction at once. I would 

 again divert to point out that, though Dr. Lowe did not intro- 

 duce into this essay any remarks re egg-coloration, I believe 

 that he has been confirmed as to their value in the order Charadrii- 

 formes exactly as I was, and here an Australian, Mr. A. J. 

 Campbell,* furnished a vaJ.uable contribution, which I have 

 previously acknowledged as being of practical use in generic 

 differentiation. I am certain practical observations on nestlings 

 by Australians woald prove as valuable. 



Many of Dr. Lowe's examples are so foreign to Australians that 

 1 forbear quotation, but when I deal with Pachycephala I will 

 make reference to Dr. Lowe's remarks. His essay, as it appears 

 in The Ibis,-f is divided into eight heads, which I will cite : — 



1. The distinction ivhich must be made between ''colour-pattern" 

 and mere coloration. 



I have already pointed out that this practically killed all dis- 

 cussion, as the difference was unknown to non-students of coloiir- 

 pattern,% and the remarks made by each member emphasized this, 

 as will be later noted. 



2. The question of concealing coloration. 



Dr. Lowe remarked that this theory has been much over- 

 worked, and made a good case for only considering it as of 

 secondary importance. He quoted a good instance, and I feel 



* Emu, vol. iii., pp. 168-171. 



t April, 191 5, pp. 320-346. 



X Dr. Lowe explained the difterence as follows : — " Colour-pattern (that 

 is to say, a certain definite and more or less constant relation of colour- 

 factors to certain definite areas of the contour-plumage, occurring through 

 a series of species or genera) implies something of a deeper import than mere 

 coloration — something which from its constancy and persistency, its 

 independence of mere environmental or climatic influences, and its correla- 

 tion with faunal or geographic areas, appears to undoubtedly suggest the 

 influence of the germ-plasm. If this is so, it obviously follows that the 

 factor of colour pattern must be of genetic importance. It is heritable. 

 It ought to be, as I believe in many cases it is, a useful phylogenetic guide 

 or clue. Mere coloration, on the other hand. may. I suggest, be regarded 

 as somewhat akin to mere homoplastic variations or convergent adapta- 

 tions in the deeper realms of morphology. Regarded in this sense, mere 

 coloration of this kind is of no genetic value." 



