THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
When Gould introduced his genus Aprosynictus , he stated : “ Types 
Platycercus scapulatus and erythropterus .” When Gray, in the Cat. Gen. 
Birds , 1855, designated types, he selected the latter, and of course against this 
there can be no objection. However, in 1865, Gould proposed a new name 
for the erythropterus group, and restricted Aprosynictus to the scapulatus 
group. This misuse of the names was carefully noted by Gray in the Handl. 
Gen. Sp. Birds , B.M., 1870, who, as sections of Platycercus , gave : 
p. 138 : g. Aprosw, ictus Gould, 1842. 
Synonym Ptistes Gould, 1865. 
p. 139. h. ? 
Synonym Aprosynictus Gould, 1865. 
Yet, in the Cat. Birds , Vol. XX., apparently following Gould, Salvadori retained : 
p. 481 : Ptistes. Type P. crylhropterus. 
p. 485 : Aprosmictus. „ A. cyanopygius. 
As Gray’s action settled the matter, there is no other course open save 
the introduction of a new name for the group erroneously known by the generic 
name of Aprosmictus and the use of Aprosynictus for the genus hitherto known 
as Ptistes. The type of Alisterus is A. cyanopygius — Psittacus cyanopygius 
Vieillot.” 
Since this was written, I have noticed that as early as March, 1846, Gray 
in the Genera of Birds, Vol. II., p. 408, noted that P. erythropterus was the 
“ Type of Aprosynictus Gld., 1842.” The above facts are so simple that no 
contradiction is possible, and American ornithologists, not swayed by any 
personal prejudice, have accepted the preceding correction. 
In the Ibis, Jubilee Suppl. No. 2, Dec., 1915, dealing with New Guinea birds, 
Ogilvie-Grant maintained Aprosynictus for the succeeding genus and retained 
Ptistes in this connection. I remonstrated in the Ibis, April 1916, p. 302, 
pointing out the facts and that Gould had simply blundered and his mistake 
must be corrected. Ogilvie-Grant replied (p. 312) : “ In using this generic 
name ( Ptistes ) I have accepted Count Salvadori’s view. Gould (P.Z.S., 1842, 
p. 112), the author of Aprosynictus, included as the types two species, A. 
scapulatus ( = cyayiopygius) and A. erythropterus. Subsequently ( Handbook B. 
Austr., II., p. 37, 1865), he placed the latter species in a new genus — Ptistes. 
G. R. Gray {Cat. Gen. Birds, 1855, p. 86) gives no reason for adopting A. 
erythropterus as the typical species of Aprosynictus, and I therefore uphold 
the original describer’s subsequent choice of a type.” 
This argument has been already condemned, as unsound, by the reviewer 
in the Auk, and I might remark that when Count Salvadori accepted 
Ptistes he was unaware of the facts here presented. 
278 
