No. 1.] THE AUSTRAL AVIAN RECORD 27 



pointed at the end ; legs black. Inhabits New Holland, where 

 it is said to be a rare bird. It is with, no little difficulty that 

 we have been able to fix limits to the genus of Grakle, more 

 especially to those which inhabit New Holland : and to say 

 the truth, great uncertainty has arisen in respect to other 

 genera also, not only in regard to birds, but quadrwpeds, as 

 well as other classes. It is true, that whenever any difficulty 

 presents itself, it may often be obviated by creating a new 

 genus, and many persons are of opinion that this is the only 

 way to ascertain the place any individual ought to hold in 

 the system ; but although it may be allowed in some instances, 

 it should be in such only where necessity may make it 

 unavoidable : a far better way being in our ophiion rather to 

 strain a trifling point than burthen the memory by forming 

 numerous new genera. On this account I venture to enu- 

 merate the following species, reserving to others the full 

 right of differing in sentiment." 



The three following are the type of Myzantha, the type 

 of Grallina, and the type of Ento7nyzon, three forms unhesi- 

 tatingly accepted as vahcl groups since their date of introduc- 

 tion a few years after the above was written by Latham. 

 It is interesting to note from Latham's account that there 

 were " genus-splittei's " even at that early date (1801), and 

 that in the doubtful cases recorded the genus-sphtters have 

 been proved to be in the right. 



The Watling drawing was recognised as portraying the 

 Oriole by Gray, Gould and Sharpe, the name being used without 

 interruption until 1900, when Robinson and Laverock (Ibis, 

 1900, p. 625) pointed out that Gracula viridis Latham was 

 used for two different birds in the Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. They 

 read the description and allotted the name to the Cat-Bird 

 and accepted Latham's Coracias sagittata for the Oriole. In 

 the case of the latter they proved to be correct, as this name 

 has priority over that of Gracula viridis. They were wrong, 

 however, in applying the latter to the Cat-Bird, as the descrip- 

 tion does not agree so well as with the Oriole, and moreover it 

 proves to be based upon a WatHng drawing which is here 

 seen to represent the Oriole. 



