THE BIEDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Haliastur indus = girrenera sharing equally the characters of indus and 
girrenera, intermediate (Java, etc.).” 
I have quoted this, as the problem above discussed is one that will 
trouble Australian ornithologists in the future when deeper interest is taken 
and longer series are brought together from many localities. Thus, long 
series of the present specifes would solve some of the troubles displayed by 
Meyer and Wiglesworth, but probably induce others. 
My own examination suggests the recognition of at least four subspecies^ 
with the difficulty of attaching many specimens from intervening localities, 
thus : 
Haliastur indus indus Boddaert. 
India ; Burmah. 
Haliastur i. indus — intermedius. 
Ceylon, Siam, Sumatra, Malacca. 
Haliastur indus intermedius Blyth. 
Java ; Sumbawa ; Sumba. 
Haliastur i. intermedius — amhiguus. 
Borneo. 
Haliastur indus amhiguus Briiggemann. 
Celebes ; Philippines. 
Haliastur i. amhiguus — leucosternus. 
Aru ; New Guinea ; Solomon Islands. 
Haliastur indus leucosternus Gould. 
Australia. 
The one fact I have is that no striped birds occur in Australia, whereas 
they do in Celebes, etc., Meyer and Wiglesworth observing : “ In Halmahera, 
Amboina, Celebes, etc., pure white plumage on the head, neck, and breast 
is common.” 
I differentiated the West Australian bird under the name Haliastur indus 
suhleucosternus, but do not here recognise it, though later this may have 
to be done. The notes concerning this form are therefore kept separate and 
follow hereafter. The reasons for the usage of Gould’s name must be again 
explained in full owing to the unexpected action of Messrs. Rothschild and 
Hartert. Although Blyth wrote the truth, Sharpe utilised the name girrenera 
for the white-headed phase, and this was followed by the majority of writers 
until I rejected it in the Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., p. 10, 1911, explaining : 
“ Vieillot {Galerie d’Ois.^ Vol. I., pi. x., 1820) proposed Halicetus girrenera 
simply as a new name for the bird described as Falco pondicerianus Gmelin.” 
He wrote : “ On le trouve aussi, selon Latham, a la Nouvelle Hollande, ou il 
porte le nom que nous lui avons conserve.” Of course this cannot be 
156 
