Vol. IV. 



1905 



J From Magazines, &c. 1 3 I 



scientific nomenclature to avoid. In the second place, even granted 

 the necessity for a change, the specific name aiLstralis is surely 

 much too wide and colourless for the case in question. There 

 are at least fourteen species of Maluri inhabiting Australia — why 

 should one of these have appropriated to it a name that is equally 

 applicable to all ? It was reasonable enough for the first naturalist 

 explorers to label a species noviv-hollandice or austrcdis, though 

 perhaps they rather overdid it ; they had at least the excuse that 

 they did not know of the existence of other Australian species 

 belonging to the same genera — a plea we nowadays cannot put 

 forward. No doubt it is not always possible to denote the specific 

 characters clearly and exactly by the specific name ; but such 

 should be the object aimed at, and for that reason the name 

 australis should be confined to species which have no congeners 

 in Australia. Mr. North's researches are of considerable historical 

 interest, but no adequate reason has been shown why the existing 

 name.i — that is to say, Malurus cyaneiis for the South-east Aus- 

 tralian bird, and M. goiildi for the Tasmanian — should not continue 

 to be used as heretofore. However, this is a matter for the Check- 

 List Committee to consider. 



About Members. 



Mr. F. M. Littler, F.E.S. (Launceston), has left by the Persic 



for England. He has gone on a six months' trip, chiefly on 



business, but hopes to have time for the pleasure and profit of 



making the acquaintance of many ornithological brethren in the 



" old land." 



* * * 



On the retirement of Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., &c., from the 

 hon. secretaryship of the A.O.U., the following letter was addressed 

 to him by his successor, Mr. A. Mattingley ; — 



" On the occasion of your retirement from the position of honorary 

 secretary of the Australasian Ornithologists' Union, the Council 

 unanimously desire to convey to you their mark of the esteem in 

 which they hold you personally, and also to indicate the aj^preciation 

 with which they regard your labours as the first honorary secretary 

 of the A.O.U. 



" The present successful position of the Union is largely due to 

 the indefatigable efforts maintained by you since its inception. 

 The tact, attention, and considerate manner with which you have 

 treated everything and everybody has endeared you to youi 

 Council colleagues, with whom you have worked so harmoniously. 



" The Australasian Ornithologists' Union is indeed under a deep 

 debt of gratitude to you for the able manner in which you have 

 carried out the onerous duties pertaining to the honorary secretary- 

 ship during the first three years of its existence, while ornithological 

 science at large has been advanced. Hoping that you may long 

 remain one of the ' Birds of a feather.' " - 



