TAWNY FROGMOUTH. 
both ; but it may be distinguished by its being somewhat larger in the body, 
and much larger in the head, and by the very great development of the 
mandibles. It inhabits the brushes of the east coast, and in its habits and 
economy resembles the other species of the group.” Of P. hrachypterus he 
wrote : “In its general appearance this bird closely resembles the P. humeralis, 
but is even smaller in size than P. cuvieri, while at the same time the bill is 
larger than that of the former species, and projects much farther from the face 
than in any other of its congeners ; it also differs in the shortness of its wings, 
which circumstance suggested the specific appellation I have assigned to it. 
It is a native of Western Australia.” Of Podargus cuvieri Gould had con- 
cluded : “ This species is readily distinguished from the Podargus humeralis by 
the bill being much less robust and of a more adpressed form, while the 
culmen is sharp and elevated ; the bird itself is also of a smaller size and 
altogether more slender than its near ally. Tasmania, if not its exclusive 
habitat, is certainly its great stronghold.” 
Later, regarding P. megacephalus, he commented : “ I believe I have 
good grounds for regarding the Podargus megacephalus as distinct from 
P. humeralis . . . but I must admit that the question is an open one.” 
It should be emphasised that Gould’s species, with the exception of this 
doubtful one, were geographical representatives, as he was careful to indicate 
and also lay stress upon. Gould was probably one of the first to deliberately 
emphasise the importance of geographical range in the difierentiation of 
closely allied forms, which he termed species, but which we now rank as 
subspecies only. 
In the Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum, Vol. XVI., 1892, 
Hartert monographed the Podargidce, and there distinguished two species, 
Podargus strigoides with “ Hah,, the greater part of Australia, and Tasmania,” 
and Podargus phaloenoides with “ Hah., northern and western parts of 
Australia.” At this time subspecies were being conservatively recognised 
after a lapse of ten years, and Hartert relegated some so-called species to the 
lower rank, but in this case the matter was too difficult of easy determination. 
Thus he described the Adult of the first named, and then explained : “ The 
female seems to be similar to the male in colour, but the few sjjecimens 
examined by me are not conclusive. The description is that of a typical 
large specimen in the ordinary coloration. The species, however, varies 
considerably in colour, many specimens being much lighter, others much 
darker, others, again, more rufous. The variations in size are still great. 
The smaller specimens have been distinguished under the name of Podargus 
cuvieri. The measurements of the smallest specimens are : Wing 9*3 to 9*8 
inches, tail 7*3 to 7*8, tarsus 1*3, bill from gape to tip 2*5, width of gape 2. 
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