Vol. XII 

 1913 



1 Mathews, Notes on Epihianura lovensis (Ashby). 205 



but my recent monographic studies have convinced me that such 

 was the incorrect pohcy. The entirely different colouration of 

 the males has more significance than the apparent similarity of 

 the so-called structural characters, and it is necessary to judge 

 all species upon the combined value of both colouration and 

 structure, and I am therefore employing both in my acceptance 

 of generic names for Australian birds for the future. 



If we examine the colouration of these birds we have three 

 different styles — the first, E. albifrons (Jard. and Selby) ; the 

 second, E. tricolor (Gould) ; and the third, E. aurifrons (Gould), 

 E. crocea (Castelnau and Ramsay), and E. lovensis (Ashby). When 

 these groups are examined for structural differences it is seen 

 that such exist, and, moreover, that the last three, which some- 

 what agree in colouration, also have their structural features 

 more closely resembling. E. tricolor (Gould) has its bill longer 

 and more slender than in E. albifrons, while it has shorter claws, 

 and, though the wing is as long, the first primary is appreciably 

 shorter. The other three have all more curved bills and shorter, 

 more rounded wings, with comparatively longer first primaries, 

 and more slender legs. In this group again E. lovensis (Ashby) 

 can be differentiated by its larger size, heavy bill, &c., as charac- 

 terized by Mr. North. I am therefore proposing to use the 

 following generic names for these birds :— 



Epthianura (Gould) for E. albifrons (Jard. and Selby). 



Parepthianiira {nov.) for E. tricolor (Gould). 



A iir epthianura {nov.) for E. aurifrons (Gould) and E. crocea 

 (Castelnau and Ramsay). 



Ashbyia (North) for E. lovensis (Ashby). 



There is a lot of work to be done in connection with this group, 

 as in the " Hand-list Birds Brit. Museum " they are constituted 

 a sub-family of the family Turdidce, while North, when intro- 

 ducing Ashbyia, placed it in the family Timeliidce — " the orni- 

 thologist's waste-paper basket." In the vernacular they are 

 called " Chats," but their systematic position cannot be con- 

 sidered settled. 



A note of explanation is necessary in connection with the 

 accompanying plate. Through the death of the colourist 

 engaged upon the plates it became necessary to employ another 

 worker, and in consequence they all appear darker than the 

 originals. This, however, may not be a fault, because the 

 female, as Mr. Ashby noted, is moulting, and the new feathers 

 are coming darker than the old ones. As the male was killed a 

 month earlier, it is still in its old worn and faded plumage. It 

 may, therefore, be that the plate will approximate somewhat 

 more closely to the new plumage of this species than it does to 

 the type specimens. 



Mr. Ashby, South Australia, obligingly supplies some field 

 observations concerning the new bird : — 



" I am indebted to my friend, Mr. J. R. B. Love, for tlie information 

 contained in the following notes : — 



