( 281 ) 



3. Tyto novaehollandiae kimberli Math. 



.Vo!'. Zuiil. xix. p. 257 (April r,ll2— '■ North-west Australia." Terra typica : East Kimberley). 



Diagnosis : " Diifers from T. n. notaekollandiai' in its much paler coloration 

 and smaller size." Measurements not given. 



There was no justification for the separation of this supposed " kiinbeiii" in 

 January 1912. The type is not smaller than males of what the author called 

 novaehollandiae from other localities at that time, and the somewhat j)ale colour 

 loses all significance if only one glance is cast on a \mv from the South Alligator 

 River in the Tring Museum, which differ from each other much more than the 

 type of " kimbi'rli " does from other specimens. T. n. kimberli must therefore be 

 united with whitci and pcrplexa. 



4. Tyto novaehollandiae mackayi Math. 



Austral Acian Ricord i. 2. p. 34 (April 1912 — "Queensland." Terra typica: Mackay). 



Diagnosis : " Differs from 7'. /(. nocackollamliae in having the facial disc 

 white, with the feathers round the eye chocolate at the base ; it is lighter above, 

 and lacks the buff on the lower surface. Wing 315 mm." 



The diagnosis is not elucidating, as the supposed differences of T. n. nocae- 

 hollandiae alone are given, which Mr. Mathews does not characterize, and of which, 

 since he now separates the South Australian and Victorian forms, there is no skin 

 in his collection, as it must be restricted to New South Wales, according to his 

 recent views. All Queensland, North-West Australian, and West Australian skins 

 before us have similar white facial discs ! In fact, " inackai/i " is perfectly similar 

 to '' kimberli " and " wkitei." 



5. Tyto novaehollandiae whitei Math. 



Amlral Asian Record, i. 2, p. H (April 1'.I12 — '• South Australia." Type : Adelaide). 



Diagnosis : " Differs from T. //. mackai/i in its darker upper-surface and 

 smaller size : wing, 301 mm." 



This diagnosis — emphasizing a trivial difference in the colour of the upper- 

 side — clearly shows that Mr. Mathews was nut aware of the great individual 

 variations exhibited in most forms of the genus 7'y'o, and the difference iu size is 

 irrelevant ; we measure the wing 307 mm. There is no appreciable difl'erence 

 between " wkitei," " mackayi," '' kimberli," and "perplera." 



We may call attention to the fact that (lould (/J. An.sfralia i.) says that ho 

 never shot a "white" specimen in Scjuth Australia, while the type of ^'wkitei" 

 has the underside c[uite white. The supposed wiiUci can therefore not be separated 

 from kimberli, perplej.a, etc. 



'i. Tyto novaehollandiae riordani Math. 



Austral Arinii Rei-urd, i. 2, p. 'Mi (A[iril 1012 --" Victoria." Type ; " Warnambool "). 



Diagnosis : " Differs from all other subspecues of 7'. noniekolliiiicliae in its 

 darker njiper-surface and larger-sized wing, 343 mm." 



We cannot agree with these statements : the npperside of the type of 

 "riordani" is to our eyes a shade less deep than in the type of iierple.rd, and the 



