THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
1913, which Journal is in the Tring library and contains quite a lot of interest 
to the student of Australian, and also extra-limital, birds. Furthermore, 
even if Dr. Hartert omitted to glance over this periodical, the paper was 
noted and reviewed in the Ihis, the Auk, and the Emu, so that it should 
not have altogether escaped Dr. Hartert’s notice. In my “Reference List” I 
selected New South Wales, but Witmer* Stone found that the bird described 
was labelled “ Tasmania.” I do not think it necessary to add all that 
information in a mere List, and Dr. Hartert’s own method does not leave us 
much wiser. He does not write the details he states I should have given, 
but merely “ Habitat in Europe. Restricted typical locality : S. Sweden,” 
to cite the first instance turned up. 
Dr. Hartert then continues : “I must say that I am not thoroughly 
convinced that Swainson’s description is that of a Peregrine.” He then 
quotes that in full and adds : “Is this undoubtedly the Australian Peregrine ? 
If so, the name macTopus must replace the well-known melanogenys, as 
Mr. Mathews discovered that Swainson’s work appeared three months before 
that of Gould. ‘ Unfortunate discovery,’ the late P. L. Sclater would have 
said.” 
Dr. Hartert unfortunately does not emphasize the points in which 
Swainson’s diagnosis is at fault. I have compared the description with 
specimens, and though it is not perfect it agrees well, and Gould, who 
probably examined the specimen at the time, immediately wrote it as a 
S3monym of his name, and G. R. Gray also accepted the synonymy, even 
publishing it before Gould. 
Dr. Hartert added further : “ Mr. Mathews {Austral Avian Record, 
Vol. I., p. 33) separated another Australian Falcon under the name of Falco 
peregrinus submelanogenys. His diagnosis is : ‘ Differs from F. p. melanogenys 
in its much more rufous under-surface and larger size. Type South-west 
Australia No. 4489.’ Such a diagnosis is next to useless : nothing is said 
about the dimensions, nothing of the number of specimens compared, whether 
they were adult or not. Had Mr. Mathews been acquainted with the colour- 
variations of all forms of Peregrine Falcons he would probably not have 
created this new name. We should have been thankful for fuller details, 
which appear to be indispensable in such a difficult case.” 
Here Dr. Hartert has made more just comments, but again the variation 
of birds under Palsearctic conditions has nothing whatever to do with the 
variation of birds in Australia. Dr. Hartert continually fails to recognise 
that Australia is more extensive than Great Britain, and whatever its extent 
the climatic conditions are immensely more complex. Further, he has never 
recognised the complexity of the Avifaunal elements and the inapplicability 
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