Vo !- o IIL ] Reviews. 137 



of the co-type clutches of eggs is in the same museum where Mr. 

 North saw the Fly-catchers' nests above-mentioned. This virtual 

 misleading of the bird-student is to be deeply regretted, and as 

 a doubt exists as to whether the White-bellied Robin was placed in 

 its proper genus by Gould, the opinion of an expert of Mr. North's 

 attainments would have been — had it been given — of value. 

 .A case in which records have been ignored or overlooked is in 

 connection with the White-browed Robin (Pcecilodryas super- 

 ciliosa). Here the author says he does not know on what 

 authority the Gulf of Carpentaria and the Northern Territory 

 have been recorded amongst the habitats of this species. His 

 predecessor, as curator of the /Australian Museum, was regarded 

 by most ornithologists as an authority on such matters, and Mr. 

 North will find " Port Darwin and Port Essington " given by 

 Dr. E. P. Ramsay in his " List of Australian Birds " — Proc. Linn. 

 Soc. N.S.W., vol. ii., p. 183 (1877). 



Other examples might be cited to prove that, excellent as the 

 work is from literary and artistic standpoints, it is either not a 

 complete epitome of what Australian museums contain (Mr. 

 North has gone beyond the limits of his own Australian Museum 

 in Sydney in what on the title page is called a special catalogue 

 of that institution), or that these collections and the accompanying 

 information are lamentably incomplete. It is hard to believe 

 that local observers and collectors have so far neglected their 

 opportunities (ample proof to the contrary exists) as this work 

 would lead one to infer, and what has been so far set forth by 

 the author goes rather to prove that his splendid opportunities 

 of studying contemporary bird literature and collections have 

 not been availed of. 



" Parrakeets." — Parts 4 and 5 of Mr. Seth-Smith's excellent 

 handbook have been received. In the 4th number he includes 

 the Crimson-winged, in Britain usually called the Red-winged. 

 In our vernacular list this bird figures as the Crimson-winged 

 Lory, which the author considers " an unfortunate designation 

 for a species which is entirely distinct from the Loriidae." The 

 King Parrakeet (known to Australians as the King Lory (Apros- 

 mictus cyanopygius) is described as well known to British avi- 

 culturists. The group to which it belongs (Platycercince), a 

 purely Australian one, is described as having 11 or 12 of its 

 species represented by living examples in Great Britain. Masters's 

 and Crimson (Pennant's) Parrakeets and the Adelaide Parrakeet 

 have full notices. The Yellow-bellied is said never to be offered for 

 sale there. Of the Pale-headed Rosella,so well known in Queens- 

 land, an account is given of its nesting, and to the Blue-cheeked 

 Parrakeet some space is devoted. Of the Smutty (Brown's) 

 Parrakeet (Platyccrcus brown 1) and the Yellow Parrakeet (P. 

 flaveolus) Mr. Goodchild furnishes excellent plates of male birds, 

 which will afford students who have not the opportunity of 



