THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
In the 10th edition of the Systema Natures, Linne named (p. 144, 1758) 
Ardea alba. This species has almost a world-wide range, and owing to its 
lack of coloration, being pure white in every stage, subspecies are difficult 
to diagnose. This difficulty becomes more pronounced through the scarcity 
in collections of breeding birds. Non-breeding birds lack distinctive nup- 
tial ornamentation, and in this stage show no essential distinction from 
immature specimens. Moreover, males are considerably larger than females, 
and if a young male and an old male be compared, great differences are 
seen to exist. 
These fact have been fully borne upon every investigator of this genus, 
and all who have attempted to determine the forms have been compelled to 
accept more or less arbitrary conclusions. 
In the Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum, Vol. XXVI., 
Sharpe gave the results of a lengthy study of these forms, and noted 
the extreme improbability of achieving any lasting result without more 
breeding birds. 
He accepted three species, H. egretta for the American bird, H. alba for 
Indian and European birds, and H. timoriensis for birds from Java, Timor, 
China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, etc., giving the last named a range 
“ from Japan and N. China, south through the Malayan Archipelago to 
Australia.” His differential diagnosis for this form reads : “ Ad. Similar to 
H. alba, but with the bill yellow in summer and winter ; the train of dorsal 
plumes not very long and scarcely reaching beyond the tail ; bill beautiful 
orange ; naked space before and behind the eye fine greenish yellow ; legs 
above the knee pale dull yellow, this colour continued down the centre of 
the inner part of the tarsi ; remainder of tarsi and feet black.” 
The investigations of Messrs. Cole and Mattingley, above recorded, make 
it absolutely certain that the Australian bird has the biU black at some 
time in its career, and also indicate that the period during which the bill is 
black is comparatively fleeting and is not extensive as in the European form. 
Moreover it seems proven that the dorsal train is never so pronounced in 
the Australian as in the European bird. Further, as acknowledged by Sharpe, 
Australian birds have undoubtedly shorter legs than European or Indian 
birds. The great difference of length of the legs seen in the Indian specimens 
preserved in the magnificent Hume collection in the British Museum, is 
almost certainly due to age, and Mr. Cole’s observations may lead to the 
correct solution. 
In the present case Sharpe’s distribution for his H. timoriensis cannot 
be accepted, as the short legs of the Australian form are quite distinctive, 
and no series of Timor birds are at hand for comparison with Australian 
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