THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
In 1878 Ramsay had admitted two species or forms from Cape York, 
but in the Tab. List in 1888 he only allowed one, Microglossus aterrimus, 
noting “ M. goliath Kuhl, a large-billed variety of M. aterrimus Gmelin.” 
In the Gat. Austr., Psittaci, published in 1891, he included Microglossus 
aterrimus with var. M. goliath , stating : “ In this variety both sexes, but 
especially the male, is much larger, but of the same plumage in adults and 
young ; both varieties have been obtained from Cape York as well as from 
New Guinea.” 
He then gave details of measurements, from which I take the following 
items : M. aterrimus, 2 &J, wing 13.4-14.5 in., bill from fore-head 3-4 in., 
culmen 3.3-4.4 in. ; $, wing 13.5, bill from fore-head 4.2 in., culmen 3.3 in. 
While for his var. M. goliath he recorded, 2 <$<$, wing 15-15.5 in., bill from ? 
fore-head 3.5-4.2 in. ; culmen 3.9-5. 1 in. 
It will be seen that, save the wing, the measurements all overlap, and 
in the whig there is only half an inch difference. Though the largest 
measurement given by Ramsay exceeds any I have measured from Cape York, 
this may be due to the mode of measuring and not to abnormality in the 
specimen itself. The smallest specimen may be a bird in its first adult 
plumage or not perfectly moulted out, as the variation is more than generally 
met with. 
Messrs. Rothschild and Hartert in the Nov. Zool., Vol. VIII., 1901, 
recognised two subspecies only, thus : 
“ Microglossus aterrimus aterrimus (Gmel.). 
“ Berau Perau, cu, 133, 131 mm. : wings 37 5, 400 mm. Dorey, 110 : 350. 
S Takar 144: 400. Stephanoort, (? J) 148: 395. Konstantinhafn, 109; 
370 (?) (mltg.). German New Guinea, 105: 360. Nicura, 136: 400. Brown 
River 122, 113; 395, 385. 
“ Microglossus aterrimus alecto (Less.). 
“Individuals from the Western Papuan Islands and from the Aru group 
are so much smaller than those from New Guinea, that they must be recognised 
as a subspecies. 
Salwatty, 91 : 340. $ Mysol, 95 : 341. 
$ $ c? $ Vokan, Aru I. 85, 83, 95, 86 : 310, , 325, . 
Wanoembai, 95 : 334. $ Trangan, 85 : 315. 
‘ ‘ Males are evidently larger than females. 
“ The fact that both Aru and the Western Papuan Islands have a smaller 
race in common is an interesting parallel to the distribution of Cacatua 
triton triton and Cacatua triton macrolo'pha. Kuhn describes the iris as 
coffee-brown, bare skin of face carmine-red, bill and feet black.” 
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