jaS Correspondence. [ist^"oci 



not been able to find much — practically nothing — in support of 

 the Cormorants in any of my peregrinations, and the few articles 

 I have read, by authors making an attempt to support them, 

 have been quite inadequate ; consequently, I am very sceptical 

 with regard to their theory — in fact, I consider it all a fallacy. — 

 Yours, &c., THOS. P. AUSTIN. 



Cobbora (N.S.W.), i3/7/i9- 



Reviews. 



[" The Birds of Australia " By Gregory M. Mathews, F.R.S.E.] 



Ix spite of the many difficulties of pubhcation during war time, 

 and the great increase of costs of all kinds, the parts of this great 

 work continued to appear with commendable frequency. With 

 the end of the war, and the removal of the risk of further loss, 

 the recently-published parts have come to hand. Vol. vi. has 

 been completed, the lost part (No. 3) being generously supphed 

 by publisher and author. Four parts of vol. vii. are also to hand. 



The work maintains well its high standard. The death of the 

 famous bird artist, Keulemans, has proved a heavy blow. Some 

 of the later plates, including that of the Great Brown or Laughing 

 Kingfisher, so well known to Australians, arc not up to the 

 excellent standard usually achieved. Printers and publishers 

 continue to do their share ^\■eH. The author develops his par- 

 ticular section — the research into literature and the tracing of 

 specimens and early descriptions — with admirable thoroughness. 

 Masses of material and reference otherwise not available to 

 Australian workers are here heaped up lavishly for the benefit 

 of scientists of the future. Mr. Mathews's fine work in this con- 

 nection is generally appreciated here, though one or two in- 

 dividuals may say, " Give us more of the bird and less of the 

 controversial literature." But knowledge of the bird can, 

 fortunately, be readily added in Austraha, while knowledge of the 

 literature is not hkely to be so added. It is hoped, therefore, 

 that Mr. Mathews will continue to pursue his painstaking and 

 candid investigations and criticisms of all disputed points, and 

 record them, so that those less fortunately situated can have the 

 benefit of his mature experience and full knowledge in this realm, 

 where Mr. Mathews is admitted to be one of tlie leading authorities 

 of the day. 



The fine generic divisions previously alluded to continue the 

 rule. Of the 37 genera treated in these four parts of vol. vii., 

 31 (over 80 per cent.) have one species each, and 5 have two 

 species ; the remaining genus {Lamprococcyx) contains four of the 

 Bronze-Cuckoos. A genus with four species is a imique feature 

 in the classification ol' liirds ,'/ hi .Mathews. The fine splitting has 

 l)een extended u])\v;ii(l^. Tlie birds of the hrogmouth, Roller, 

 Kingfisher, Bee-eater, Nightjar, and Swift famihes were all 

 included in the " 1913 List " by Mr. Mathews in the order 



