98 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



petiolules, about 2 inches long, more or less, distinctly toothed 

 on margins in the lower half; the young growth densely, other 

 parts sparsely hairy with light-coloured hairs. Peduncles 

 axillary, about i inch long (sometimes very short or quite 

 wanting), bearing at the end two leafy bracts and several pedicels 

 two or three times as long as the peduncle, each bearing a flower 

 of about 1^ inch in diameter. Sepals about 8 or 9 lines long 

 and 23^ lines broad, white and silky tomentose. Filaments 

 broad, salmon pink. Anthers with rather prominent appendages. 

 Hab — Near Healesville, Victoria ; Mrs. J. Dennis. 



REVIEW. 



List of Vernacular Names for Australian Birds. — 

 The report of the committee of the Australasian Association for 

 the Advancement of Science appointed in 1893 to draw up a 

 list of vernacular names for Australian birds, which was adopted 

 at the Sydney session of the Association held in January last, 

 has been printed in pamphlet form. Its authorship is principally 

 due to Colonel Legge and Mr. A. J. Campbell, who have taken 

 the " British Museum Catalogue " as the basis for the scientific 

 nomenclature and classification. Comparing it with Dr. Ramsay's 

 "Tabular List of Australian Birds," published by the Australian 

 Museum, Sydney, in 1888, very many changes will be noticeable. 

 The present list, notwithstanding the new species which have 

 doubtless been added during the interval, enumerates 761 species, 

 while Ramsay's enumerated 770. It has the great advantage 

 over Ramsay's of being grouped into orders, sub-orders, families, 

 and sub-families. Some 150 changes in the scientific nomen- 

 clature occur, the majority being cases of the alteration of the 

 generic name, though in many cases both generic and specific 

 names have been altered. In addition, numerous minor altera- 

 tions in spelling (more especially in terminations) occur ; 

 for instance, Leipoa (Mallee Fowl) now reads Lipoa. In 

 many cases several species have been merged into a fewer 

 number ; thus, nine species of Podargus are now listed 

 as four, and four of Synoecus as one. Many of our familiar 

 names have disappeared — thus Aquila audax (Wedge-tailed 

 Eagle) becomes Uroa'etus audax; Grus australasianus (Native 

 Companion) becomes Antigone australasiana ; and Cygnus 

 atrata (Black Swan) becomes Chenopis atrata. In some cases 

 the names formerly in use are given, but many more should have 

 been included in order to make the synonymy clear. The 

 vernacular names chosen seem on the whole suitable for the 

 birds, but for such an extensive group as the Honey-eaters, where 

 marked differences in plumage are not very striking, the authors 

 must have had some trouble in carrying out their task. It is to 



