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Recent Discoveries regarding tlie Fauna 
of Western Australia, 
By BERNARD H. WOODWARD , F.G.S . , C.M.Z.S., etc., Director of 
the Western Austtalian Museum. 
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At the Meeting of the Western Australian Natural History Society, 
on Tuesday, the 7th March, 1905, I showed specimens and said a few 
'words about some of the recently discovered new mammals, and refer- 
red to the increase in our knowledge of some of those previously known, 
however, for the Journal, I think it will be better to quote more fully 
the original descriptions of these, which appeared in the Proceedings of 
the Zoological Society of London, in “ Novitates Zoologicae,” and other 
Journals, as I consider it to be a matter of great importance to have 
descriptions of our Fauna published locally, and I trust that in future 
this Journal will be recognised as the proper medium for the notification 
of new species, as well in the Fauna as in the Flora of Western Aus- 
tralia. 
U , Of the greatest importance are Mr. Thomas’ remarks on the 
Kangaroos popularly called “Wallaroos,” of which hitherto only two 
were known — Macropus robustus and M. erubescens. It will be noticed 
that for the new species he has adopted the trinomial plan, calling 
them all Macropus robustus with a third name added to show that they 
are very closely allied and all belong to one Macropine group. 
In the birds Dr. Hartert has adopted the same plan, for instance 
in the “Bush Larks” — Mirafra javanica has its nearest allies named 
M. j. horsfeldi , , M. /. secunda , and so on ; although in one way this 
system is rather cumbersome, yet in genera containing numerous 
species, it is a great convenience to have them arranged in groups. 
The descriptions of the birds were compiled by Mr. C. P. 
Conigrave, who read the notes on them and showed the specimens at 
the meeting on 7th March, 
