l6o The H. L. White Collection. f ^mu 



■^^^ List Jan. 



ornithology had made immense and rapid strides. With research, 

 new forms, so-called " sub-species," were being multiplied and 

 designated ; more material was needed to settle many scientific 

 points. Mr. White, in a very practical and patriotic manner, 

 threw himself into the breach, and undertook to procure sufficient 

 material to enable ornithologists in this country to settle their 

 own disputes, instead of these differences being settled in Europe, 

 America, or, forsooth, in Japan. The late Professor Alfred 

 Newton, of Cambridge, once, in writing to one of our members, 

 said that disputed points about purely Australian birds should 

 be settled in Australia, and by Australians themselves — for the 

 obvious reason, no doubt, that Australians were on the spot, with 

 information and material at first hand. 



In order not to destroy unnecessarily beautiful bird-life, Mr. 

 White commenced by acquiring a few small, carefully made private 

 skin collections, notably those of Messrs. Lancelot Harrison, Harold 

 Blakeney, Robert Grant, A. G. Campbell, and others. These, 

 with the consignments from the field-workers, soon built up an 

 important and valuable collection. Especially important were 

 the various specimens collected by Mr. W. M'Lellan near the 

 Gilbert " type locality," Northern Territory. It will be recollected 

 that the original Gouldian-Gilbert types went to America. In 

 an honorary capacity Captain S. A. White has also added to the 

 H. L. White collection. 



This splendid and unique mass of material Mr. White has 

 generously and unostentatiously donated to the nation, to be 

 housed in the National Museum, Melbourne. As the headquarters 

 of the R.A.O.U. for the time being are Melbourne, the donor's 

 primary idea was to have the material in such a place that it 

 could be available for ready reference by members of the Union, 

 and, of course, for ornithological students in general. And not 

 the least encouraging is Mr. White's magnanimous announcement 

 — " I hope to add material^ to the collection from time to time." 



The majority of the skins have been excellently prepared, 

 those made by Mr. Robert Grant especially being object lessons 

 in the taxidermist's art. In the general collection there is affixed 

 to every skin a convenient-sized label showing name of collector, 

 locality, date, sex, measurements, &c. This is preferable to the 

 old-fashioned method of numbering, with the registration of 

 details in a separate book. Nevertheless, there is a complete 

 " Key " to the collection, and anj^ specimen (which bears its own 

 history) can be referred to at a minute's notice. The " Key to 

 H. L. White Collection "—the work of Mr. S. W. Jackson — for 

 carefulness and neatness could not be surpassed. 



On Friday, 12th October, 1917, a large company of orni- 

 thologists and naturalists accepted the invitation of Sir Baldwin 

 Spencer, Director of the National Museum, Melbourne, to view 

 officially this priceless collection. Those present saw for the first 

 time many of the rare birds of Australia. Light refreshments 

 terminated a memorable evening. 



