THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
In the Nov. Zool, Vol. XVIII., p. 9, 1911, I gave the following 
explanation for my preference to the name there used: “In the Cat. Birds, 
Vol. XXVII., p. 153, Salvador! preferred D. arcuata Horsfield, Zool. Res. 
in Java, pi. 65, 1824, for the Austro-Malayan species differentiated from 
D. javanica of the same author, previously proposed in the Trans. Linn. 
Soc. (Lend.), Vol. XIII., p. 199, 1822. Salvador! accepted arcuata on the 
plate given, but the letterpress covered javanica. The facts are : Horsfield 
proposed javanica and noted varieties, one of which agrees with the bird 
in question now considered specifically separable. In his second paper he 
used arcuata for the same group on account of its prior introduction by 
Cuvier in MS. only, and sank javanica as a synonym of the later arcuata. 
Of course, in reality arcuata is a pure synonym of javanica, the latter having 
priority. Count Salvador!, however, recognising that the figure given reaUy 
belonged to one of the varieties, used arcuata as based on that figure, 
though the text proved the contrary. This course is not permissible. As 
a substitute I have fallen back upon gouldi, which Gould accepted for the 
Australian bird as of Bonaparte. Bonaparte’s introduction {Gomptes Rendus, 
Vol. XLIII., p. 649, 1856) was of a nude name only, so that the above 
quotation is the first description. Two other prior names have been used 
for this bird, but each I consider inapplicable. Muller’s Anas badia {Verh. 
Nat. GescJi. Land en Volkmh, p. 159, 1842) is another nude name, 
whilst Fraser’s A. vagans was described from the Philippines {Zool. Typica, 
p. 68, 1849), and I am not inclined to accept it for the Australian form.” 
In my List Birds Austr., p. 89, published last year, I used the name 
Dendrocygna javanica gouldi as of Gould, 1865, considering its introduction 
by Bonaparte in 1856 as a nomen nudum. 
Upon further consideration I must replace it as above. The facts 
are as follows : In the Nov. Synops. Av., no. iv., Dec., 1850, Reichenbach 
named “ Tab. CCCXXXV. Novit. LXXII. LI^ 2650-51 Dendrocygna arcuata 
{australis) Gould B. of Austr., ic. Anas — Cuv.” On the Tab. quoted a 
reduced copy of Gould’s coloured plate is given. 
As on PI. Lamillirostres. Anatinse. LI. Dendrocygna. “ Figs. 171-72 
arcuata Cuv. javanica Horse. Mus. Dresd.” are separately given, and the 
reduced coloured figures appreciably differ, there can be no other con- 
clusion save that Reichenbach named the Australian bird, as figured by 
Gould, subspecificaUy. Reichenbach’ s name has long priority and must 
therefore come into use and displace the subspecific gouldi whether this 
be admitted as of Bonaparte or Gould. 
The bird figured and described is a male collected at Parry’s Creek, 
North-west Australia, on the 18th February, 1909, by Mr. J. P. Rogers. 
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