No. 4] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 95 



ON A COLLECTION OF BIRDS FROM THE MACLEAY 

 MUSEUM, SYDNEY, N.S.W. 



By Gregory M. Mathews. 



The name of Macleay stands for progress in the • scientific 

 investigation of Natural Historjr in Australia. The " Chevert " 

 Expedition has never been surpassed in extent though advance- 

 ment in methods of collection tend to diminish the results 

 achieved in that historical survey. The sound of the name 

 Macleay must nevertheless cause a tingle in the blood of every 

 Australian naturalist, and the Macleay Museum compels a 

 visit to every worker. It was therefore with the greatest of 

 sorrow that I saw the ruin in connection with the birdskins 

 still conserved in that Museum. Names I 'had noted were 

 represented by the specimens in bad condition and I was 

 horrified at their uncared-for state. The collectors who brought 

 together these specimens might claim a share in my grief, but 

 this would not appear to have been the case as the chief 

 collector, the late George Masters, was afterwards curator of 

 the Museum. 



As I had not the time nor the collections at hand to study 

 the rarities there represented, I asked permission for certain 

 specimens to be forwarded to the British Museum. This was 

 graciously granted and the birds have been compared with 

 the material available at this end. 



I here give notes of such specimens so that a record of the 

 comparison may be available to other workers after the 

 specimens have vanished through decay. 



A specimen labelled " Oceanites ($) oceanica Banks, 25 

 ^ miles off Port Bowen, Queensland, May 27, 1875," is probably 

 the only authentic Queensland record. 



A specimen labelled " Fregetta ($) melanogaster Gould. 

 Off the East Coast of N.S.W., May 1875." This is the only 

 authentic Australian procured specimen known to me. The 

 skin shows slight whitish tips to back feathers ; whitish 



