THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
procedure must be adopted. As above noted, Ascension Island must be 
accepted as the type locality of Linne’s Pelecanus aquilus. The Ascensicm 
Island bird, as will hereafter he proven, is specifically distinct from all the 
birds commonly known under that name. This conclusion necessitates the 
usage of some other name. Fregata ariel Gray is, as generally admitted, 
quite a distinct species. Pelecanus minor Gmelin, from unknown locality, is 
the next name in order. As pointed out, this name is based absolutely on 
Edwards, and Edwards’ figure is a very accurate one, for his time, of an 
adult female of the widespread bird. Although Gmelin wrote “2 pedes 9 
poUices longus as against “ Pelecanus aquilus 3 pedes longus,” Brisson 
wrote, ‘ deux pieds neuf pouces neuf lignes,” and this seems to be the French 
^uivalent of Edwards’ measurement, which reads : “ The original was a 
stuffed skin : from bill-point to tail end it measured thirty-six inches,” 
while he added : “I suppose this may be the female bird, for, since I 
drew it, I have been told by a gentleman who has made several voyages 
to the East Indies that the feathers of the males of this species are wholly 
black.” 
As no locality whatever is given, an arbitrary type locality must be 
selected. There is nothing whatever in the description to guide one, so that 
considering the localities cited by Buff on, I would select Jamaica, and thus 
fix the name upon the bird breeding in the Caribbean Sea. 
This will be a fairly accurate disposition, but the unfortunate usage of 
minor as the species name for the well-known bird which has a range over 
the whole tropical and subtropical seas in varied subspecific forms cannot 
be but regretted. 
In the British Museum there is preserved a good number of these birds 
from varied localities, and at the Rothschild Museum, Tring, about an equal 
number of most valuable specimens are available. As always, the Hon. 
Walter Rothschild has given me free access to this magnificent series, for 
which the thanks of all working ornithologists, as well as my own, must be 
tendered. I have often found that the Rothschild Collection complements 
the British Museum one in a most remarkable way, and this group has 
provided another striking example, as I there found full series from the 
Galapagos Islands, Laysan and the Seychelles, localities furnishing few or no 
specimens in the British Museum Collection. 
I see little use in recording the number of specimens examined, but as 
some workers comment upon the lack of such data, I might note that I did 
not count the skins handled, but I made notes on more than one hundred and 
fifty and left many immature without comment, so that probably about two 
hundred and fifty birds have been criticised in this case. 
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