106 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. T 



and must be inapplicable to any species outside the 

 genus. . . Modern genera must be genetic, they must 

 indicate affinity ; but genera founded upon the shape of 

 the bill or the number of the toes often associate birds 

 together whose similarity is only one of analogy, where 

 like causes have produced like effects, in very distinct 

 genealogical lines." 



This is idealistic, and until we are able to form genetic 

 genera, we have to make use of less perfect divisions. 

 There can be no doubt that genera ignoring colour- values 

 are liable to include analogous elements, and also that 

 genera based on colour alone cannot be framed so that 

 any consistency in their constitution can be assured. 



The only way out of the difficulty, considering our 

 present imperfect knowledge of the ontogeny and 

 phylogeny of the lesser avian groups, is that followed by 

 American ornithologists, viz. the recognition of many 

 small, compact, easily defined groups usually compassed 

 by colour, and the recognition of these as being of generic 

 value. I have therefore decided to follow such writers 

 as Berlepsch, Hellmayr, Ridgway, Oberholser, etc., who 

 consistently use small compact genera, and my decision 

 necessitated the examination of my collection with this 

 point in view. 



It would also appear that this method will appeal to 

 Australian ornithologists, as instance A. J. Campbell, 

 Emu, Vol. III., pp. 168-171, 1904, and more recently 

 the comment in the same journal, Vol. XII., p. 51, 1812, 

 regarding North's genus Trichodere. I am therefore 

 proposing new generic names for species which seem to 

 merit such distinction, and intend to utilise these in my 

 Birds of Australia. 



Those who prefer to lump can follow my Reference 

 List, where I accepted genera with as wide limits as could 

 consistently be employed. 



I would here note that as generic names I have intro- 

 duced in many cases names composed of personal names 

 of the ornithologists who have worked in Australia. 



