1918 1 Recently published Ornitholoyical IForks. 161 



be expected, a winter visitor only and breeds in Siberia. 

 It could hardly be hoped, after the thorough investigations 

 made by Messrs. Robinson and Kloss, that much remains for 

 other collectors in the low country of the Malay Peninsula. 



Mathews on Australian Birds. 



[The Bu-ds of Australia. By Gregory M. Mathews. Vol. vi, pt. 5, 

 pp. 373-44-4, pis. 303-316. London (Witherby), September 1917. 4to.] 



Mr. Mathews's book keeps on the even tenor of its way, 

 and furnishes us with well-chosen compilations of the life- 

 histories of species, accompanied by excellent illustrations. 

 The present part deals with ten of the Parrots. 



Of these Barnaj'dius zonarius (Shaw and Nodder) is shown 

 to be identical with semiturqaatus of Quoy and Gaimard, 

 while occidentalis is classified merely as one of six sub- 

 species. Piirpiireicephalus is upheld — chiefly on account of 

 its peculiar long bill — as a distinct genus, with one species 

 {s/jtirius of Kuhl) synonymous with jt>i/e«/i<5 of Vigors and 

 ruffrons of Lesson, The subspecies carteri is discarded. 



Next comes a series of small but beautiful Parrakeets, 

 beginning with Psephotus which has two species, hamato- 

 nvtus and varius. The former is permitted to keep a 

 sulispecific form, virescens, while the latter has four, 

 orientalis and elhelce. being new and rosince being cancelled. 

 The name varius must stand, as multicolor is })reoccup:ed 

 and dulciei antedated ; moreover, a new subgenus Clarkona 

 is proposed for this bird. 



Northiella, founded for Platycercus hce.matoyaster of Gould, 

 has caused considerable trouble, but, finally, xanthorrhous and 

 hcematorrhous of Bonaparte prove not specifically separable, 

 though the latter with pallescens and alter may still be 

 allowed to hold subspecific rank. 



Psephutellus pulcherrimus , with its form rightly named 

 " dubius," is probably extinct ; P. chrysopteryyius has one 

 subspecies {dissimilis) allowed it, which used to be con- 

 sidered a distinct species. The names P. blaauwi and 

 P. cucullatus were given to birds from the same locality 

 as dissimilis. 



SEK. X. — VOL. VI. M 



