WHITE GOSHAWK. 
In confirmation of this conclusion I would quote Eothschild and Hartert, 
Nov. Zool., Vol. XXII., p. 51, Feb. 12, 1915, who under the name Accipiter 
(sec) novcehollandice leucosomus Sharpe, wrote : “ Though the difference in 
size is enormous, there is no other difference between the larger Australian 
white Goshawk and the smaller Papuan race. The whole plumage is 
snow-white ; the iris and cere yellow ; bill horn-black ; feet yellow. Wings 
of males 210-212 mm., females 242-252, against 251-272 (males) and 293-308 
(females) in A. novcehollandice novcehollandice.'’^ 
North Australian birds seem to average slightly smaller, but there appears 
to be verjT^ little difference between the largest female from Melville Island 
and the largest from Tasmania. North has noted that the largest bird from 
New South Wales scarcely exceeded a Cape York specimen, so that with the 
material available it is doubtful whether subspecies should be maintained 
in Australia. This is rather strange seeing that the New Guinea form is 
clearly separable in size. 
If the grey birds were considered as a dimorphism, then the matter 
would need reconsideration, for, as Eamsay observed, no grey birds occur 
in Tasmania. 
Mr. J. P. Eogers records an interesting fact in the economy of this bird. 
He noticed that when it appeared amongst small birds it caused little 
disturbance. On the wing it somewhat resembled a white cockatoo, and this 
may account for its not being recognised as an enemy. 
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