112 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. III. 



Haliaetum marem, longum 22" alis expansis 52" ; (2) 

 . . ." (J, R. Forster, Descr. Anim., p. 257, 1844). 



Consequently, no doubt can remain ; the bird noticed by 

 Cook in Botany Island is actually an Osprey ; nor it is very 

 surprising that Latham failed to recognise the species on the 

 Watling Drawing, which represents quite a different kind, 

 belonging to another country — Cuncuma leucogaster. 



Now, how can Latham's mistake be accounted for ? Very 

 likely by a lapse in his memory, particularly easy to understand 

 owing to the analogy in the habits of the two birds mistaken ; 

 they both like the vicinity of the sea-shore, and both feed on 

 fish. 



Let us add, as a final support on behalf of our argument, 

 that a few pages after, when he describes the Osprey and its 

 habits of living, Latham by no means mentions the presence 

 of the species in Oceania. Being brought close to the preceding 

 arguments, this last one, it seems to me, succeeds in showing 

 irrefutably the complete identity between Latham's Sea 

 Eagle from Botany Island and the Osprey. "Falco Haliaetes^ 

 noted there by Cook and his companions. 



