WHITE GOSHAWK. 
Fumeaux arrived at New Zealand and joined up with Captain Cook, a 
resume of his experiences was detailed to the latter. These were published 
in Coolers Voyage, Vol. I., p. 112, where it is noted : “ I forgot to mention a 
large white bird that one of the gentlemen shot, about the size of a large 
kite of the eagle kind.” 
George Forster also prepared an account of the “ Voyage,” and in his 
book Voyage Round the World 1777, p. 196, stated: “The ‘Adventure’ lay 
only three days in this bay (Frederick Henry Bay, Tasmania), during which 
Captain Furneaux took in a small quantity of fresh water and collected 
several curious animals . . . and a fine white hawk.” George Forster made a 
painting of this specimen, which has probably long since decayed ; in this 
case it must have been preserved, as J. E. Forster drew up a detailed 
description in addition to George’s painting : this description was not 
published until 1844 ; the painting, however, is still preserved in the British 
Museum (Natural History) as recorded by Sharpe {Hist. Coll. Nat. Hist. 
Brit. Mus., Vol. II., p. 180, 1906). The name Falco leucoaetos Forster is a 
synonym of Falco novcehollandice Gmelin, founded on Forster’s account only 
of this bird, as follows. 
In the General Synopsis of Birds, Vol. I., 1781, p. 40, Latham described : 
“ New Holland White E(agle) N.S. Length twenty inches. Orbits of the 
eyes yellow : cere the same ; the whole body of a pure white ; the legs 
are yellow: the hind claw double the length of the others. Inhabits New 
Holland. Communicated by Dr. G. R. Forster. I am much obliged by 
many hints and observations communicated to me by that gentleman in 
the course of his voyage round the world.” 
Gmelin {Syst. Nat., p. 264, 1788) gave the Latin name Falco novoehollandicB 
to this description, and this name was accepted by Latham in the Index 
Orn., Vol. I., p. 16, 1790. 
Almost simultaneously was published in the Journal Voyage New South 
Wales by White, p. 250, a description of “ The White Hawk : Falco albus ” 
and this was accompanied by a coloured figure, which appears to be t^ie first 
published figure of this bird. White’s account admits Shaw’s aid when doing 
the birds and his note is worth reproduction : “ This species^ in shape and 
general appearance, seems very nearly allied to the bird called, in England, 
the Hen-Harrier, which is the Falco cyaneus of Linnaeus. It is very nearly 
of the same size, and the legs and thighs are of a slender form, as in that 
species.” 
A painting appears among the Watling Drawings (No. 20) as recorded 
by Sharpe {Hist. Coll. Nat. Hist. Brit. Mus., Vol. II., p. 112, 1906) as follows: 
“No. 20. Lacteous Eagle, Latham [M.S.] ; Gen. Hist. Birds, I., p. 216, 
45 
