212 CAMPBELL— Names for Australian, Birds. 



know the names and nationalities of the original Committee 

 who compiled them). My reply is, if these rules turn the liv- 

 ing into the dead, they were not made for, or by Australians. 



We sometimes hear the stereotyped expression, "if we do 

 not conform to the National 'Codes of Nomenclature, we shall 

 be behind other nations in ornithological science." Nonsense! 

 Australian Soldiers did not lag behind in the great World- 

 War. Neither shall we be behind in ornithology, because we 

 desire certain living names that breathe of Australia, and are 

 an inspiration, instead of names like "dry bones" dug from old 

 and musty literary graves. 



However, if the august National Committee can make rules 

 it can also make exception thereto, and may possibly issue 

 "an opinion" in favour of present living names not ornithohgi- 

 cally incorrect, or scientifically wrong of certain purely endemic 

 Australian birds. Before another "Check-list" takes final 

 phape let us consider an Australian Nomina conservanda, or 

 better still, an "Ornithologist's Memorial," in memory of 

 Australia's sons, who have fought, and not a few have fallen 

 for their country in the great war — a list of Time-honoured 

 and historic names of well-known birds, which names that 

 "grave-digger" — the arbitrary "Law of Priority" proposes to 

 bury. We can then approach the National Committee, and 

 say: — "This is a list which the Nation desires you to be 

 good enough to honour, and to let live for all time." 



Such a "Memorial Exception List" would not exceed 40 

 names, or about 5 per cent of the names on existing local 

 Jists. If this were happily accomplished, I venture to sup- 

 pose we would have an Australian List of Co mmlon wealth 

 Birds, which all workers would acknowledge to be intelligible, 

 practical, and permanent, 



A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White- 

 Ornithologist, Soldier, Sailor and Explorer. 



By His Son, S. A. White, C.M.B.O.TJ. 



XVII. THE ORNITHOLOGIST AND SAILOR. 



Monday, the 2nd of August the yacht remained at anchor, 

 and my father spent the morning packing away many of his 

 specimens, and clearing up his specimen room and cabin. In a 



