30 THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD [Vol. V. 



The young of " sordidus " does not sliow a wlute under 

 surface with a black chin as given in tlie description and seen 

 in the figure. The figure shows the bill of a Wood-Swallow 

 and tlie wing-coloration, but of what species cannot be at 



present determined. 



* * * * 



As a good example of the difficulties in dealing with these 

 drawings, principally through the prejudice of previous 

 workers, the case of Latham's Sylvia rubricata may be cited. 



When Gra}^ determined, with Strickland, the Lambert 

 drawings, he wrote "Sylvia rubricata Lath. ^10111. = Motacilla 

 solitaria Liewin= Saxicola solitaria V. & }i.=^0rigt7ia solitaria 

 Gould : Origina riihricata." 



In tliis case Gould was in time to use the novelty in his 

 foHo Birds of Australia and in his Handbook and hence to 

 recent years no challenge was made to the usage. 



Ignorant of the usage when Sharpe came to Drawing No. 202, 



he wrote " Ruddy Warbler . . . Sylvia rubricata 



Cacomantis flabelli formes. ..." 



He did not suggest any change though it was obvious some 

 was necessary, and when I determined tliat Latham's flabeUi- 

 formis should not be used for the Cuckoo I proposed the usage 

 of rubricata, as undoubtedly the figure No. 202 was a good one 

 of the Cuckoo. 



The Australian Committee has challenged the application 

 of the description to the Cuckoo, and from tliat point of view 

 the figure and description were at once re-examined with the 

 fact that they are undoubtedly right. 



Latham's description reads : " This is a trifle larger than 

 the Redbreast : the bill is slender and dusk}' : irides hazel : 

 legs yellow : the plumage above brownish-ash colour : beneath 

 whoUy ferruginous, incUning to ^^ellow : wings and tail brown : 

 the last rounded in shape." This does not apply to Drawing 

 No. 202 (which is of the Cuckoo) in that in the latter the bill 

 is medium and curved, irides dark (? hazel) : legs not 3'ellow : 

 plumage above greyish : pure red ferruginous below, no in- 

 clination whatever to yellow, and tail bluish with white marks ? 

 On the other hand, the description does not apply to the 



