THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
as separate species, breed together freely in the Cape York district, and I am 
firmly convinced that the grey and white birds belong to the same species. 
In all I secured 8 clutches of eggs. In three cases only were both the birds 
grey ; in two cases they were pure white, and in each other instance the 
plumage of male and female differed in colour. In one instance I took a 
clutch of eggs from a pair of grey birds, the female being shot at the nest. 
The male remained in the vicinity for a week, and then mated with a white 
female. The pair stayed about the nest which was eventually used. I 
secured the eggs, which differ considerably in size and shape from the former 
set. I also secured the eggs of a grey female whose mate was white. The 
birds are plentiful in the locality, and my attention was first drawn to the 
mating of birds of the two varieties by Mr. F. L. Jardine, of Somerset, who 
for several years had noted the fact. In all instances both the grey and 
white birds possessed fiery blood-red eyes. I secured several skins. All the 
eggs obtained were of a bluish-white colour and totally devoid of markings. 
These birds always breed in forest country, the nest being placed high up in 
large Melaleuca trees or Moreton Bay ash {Eucalyptus). . . . These birds 
appear to gather most of their food from the scrubs, as they are frequently 
seen flying over the tops of the taU scrub. On several occasions I observed 
the male bringing to the nest the small Fruit-Pigeon {Lamprotreron superha). 
Both sexes appear to take their turn at incubating.” 
Mr. Barnard’s experience is interesting and invaluable, but unfortunately 
it does not entirely dispose of the difficulties. It is now certain that the birds 
breed together at Cape York more or less commonly, but that does not end 
the matter. The grey bird is found only in East Australia from Cape York 
to Victoria, while the white bird is common in Tasmania, and while covering 
the habitat of the grey bird extends over the Northern Territory to North- 
west Australia, while a form, which will be later discussed, is found in New 
Guinea. This more extensive range of the supposed “albino” form furnishes 
the puzzling complication. If it be granted that the white bird has 
evolved as a fixed albino from the grey bird, this extended range is most 
interesting : as while white birds alone are found to the south, viz. Tasmania, 
and the north, viz. New Guinea, and to the north-west, viz. Northern 
Territory and North-west Australia, only in New Guinea is a fixed variation 
found, and that a very small bird. 
It had better be recorded that Ramsay was at one time of the opinion 
that the different coloration was sexual, and in the Proc. Zool. Soc. (Bond.) 
1868, p. 381, wrote : “ Astur (?) sp. nov. Two specimens shot, both alike. 
Although this bird is in many respects like what one would expect to find 
the young of Astur novaeJiollandice (alias A. rayii), I believe it to be a distinct 
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