No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 17 



but we note that Stephens and Forster had suggested 

 previously the same specific names for the Common Swift. 



Under the name Megapode is the first long account of the 

 birds of this genus. Dumont was apparently very friendly 

 with Quoy and Gaimard as he thanks them for information. 

 Dumont wrote (p. 414) : " Les naturalistes voyageurs lui 

 ont donne le nom de megapode, megapodius, a reason de la 

 grandeur de ses pieds ; et dans un memoire lu, le 6 Juin 

 1823, par M. Gaimard, a la Societe d'histoire naturelle de 

 Paris, le genre a ete etabli a peu pres de cette maniere." 



Then follows a very long description of Megapodius freycinet 

 Q. and G. (p. 414), Megapodius La Perouse Q. & G. (p. 415), 

 and p. 416, Megapodius Reinwardt. 



The account by Gaimard above mentioned was published 

 in Ferussac's Bulletin as recorded, for the first time, in 

 Mathews' List of the Birds of Australia. Gaimard's note 

 appeared in July -August, 1823, and has little priority over the 

 present publication winch was acknowledged December 27, 

 1823. Gaimard gave short succinct diagnoses of the two first- 

 named species, but not the third. None of these names as of 

 these introductions occur in the Catalogue of Birds and the 

 last-named causes an unexpected alteration. 



On p. 416 we read the following wording : " M. le professeur 

 Reinwardt, Hollandois, a rapporte d'Amboine, dans les iles 

 Moluques, un individu du meme genre, dont il paroit avoir 

 fait present a son compatriote, M. Temminck, qui Fa depose 

 au cabinet d'histoire naturelle, et se propose de le faire figurer 

 dans une des livraisons du Recueil de planches destinees a 

 faire suite a celles de Buffon, sous le nom de Megapode Rein- 

 wardt, Megapodius reinwardt." 



Then follows a detailed description. 



This is the bird figured in the Plan. Color 60 e livr., pi. 411, 

 Oct. 25, 1826, under the name Megapodius rubripes Temminck 

 from specimens collected by Reinwardt from the " ile 

 d'Amboine." It is also the bird named Megapodius rein- 

 wardtii Wagler, Syst. Avium Megapodius, sp. 4, 1827. 



Both these names are included in the Catalogue of Birds 



