128 RESEARCH COMMITTEES. 
No. 6.—LIST OF VERNACULAR NAMES FOR 
AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 
Report of the committee, consisting of the Rev. H. Atkinson, 
Dr. BR. AB Perks; Colonel Legge, F.L.S., M.B.0.U., Messrs. 
Barnard, A. Vien MESS: Olina A. Morton: ELS, Ave 
Campbell, F.L.S., C. W. De Vis, M.A., F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., 
A. J. North, F.L.S., and H. Thorpe, Professors W. Baldwin 
Spencer, M.A., F. W. Hutton, F.R.S., T. J. Parker, F.R.S., 
Sir James Hector, F.R.S., and Dr. E. C. Stirling, F.R.S., 
(Secretary). 
[Drawn up by Messrs, A. J. CAMPBELL, C. W. DE Vis, Colonel LEGGE, 
and Dr. STIRLING. ] 
THE need, for numerous reasons, of an acceptable ‘“ Vernacular 
List” of Australian Birds’ names was first mentioned at the 
Hobart meeting of the Science Association, 1892. 
The following year, at the Adelaide meeting, a committee was 
appointed to deal with the matter— Vide vol. V of the “ Proceed- 
ings,” p. XXII. 
The committee was found to be somewhat large, and, as the 
list was to be purely an Australian one, the New Zealand mem- 
bers were not consulted. 
Colonel Legge (Tasmania) and Mr. A. J. Campbell (Victoria) 
were deputed by the secretary of the committee to draw out a 
preliminary list. After considerable research by these two 
gentlemen the list was compiled, principally on the lines indicated 
in Colonel Legge’s memorandum, published in vol. VI (Brisbane, 
1895), p. 445, and was forwarded to Adelaide, August, 1894. 
The list was then considered and finished, 30th November, 
1894, by the south and western committee at Adelaide which 
approved ¢ generally of the principles laid down in the preliminary 
list and made the following suggestions :—That the final list be 
issued in tabular form with noienenas to Gould’s Nos., in addition 
to the scientific and vernacular names; that, where scientific 
names have been altered, the older or more familiarly-known 
terms be retained in brackets ; and that if any species appearing 
on existing lists be omitted, a reason or reference should be stated 
for such omission. 
On the 11th December, 1894, or one month prior to the open- 
ing of the next (Brisbane) Congress, the list was forwarded to Mr. 
A. J. North at the Australian Museum as representative of the 
New South Wales committee. Mr. North delegated his power to 
Notre.—This list was adopted by The Australasian Association for the Advancement of 
Science, at the Sy dney Congress, 1898, the basis of the classification being taken from the 
ie Catalogue of Birds,” of the British Museum, in the order the volumes appeared, excepting 
No. XXV. I, which is still unpublished. 
