THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
The Latin name C{oracias) pacifica was given on p. xxvii. of the 
Supplement Index Orniih. 
This name was ignored until Gray, in 1843, recognised the painting and 
accepted Latham s namp. Previous to this recognition Swainson had separated 
the Australian bird from the Indian one, under the name Eurystomus australisy 
and this name was used by Gould in the Folio Birds of Australia. True to 
his rigid adherence to strict priority, this name was displaced in the 
“ Handbook ” by the better name Eurystomus pacificus. When Sharpe 
monographed the Rollers, in the Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum, 
Vol. XVII., 1892, he rejected the latter name, using Eurystomus australis 
again, explaining : “ The description is so inaccurate that it is impossible to 
identify it with the Australian Roller.” Later, when he examined the 
Watling paintings, he admitted that the painting did represent this bird, 
and therefore withdrew his opposition and accepted as the correct name 
Eurystomus pacificus. 
Vigors and Horsfield, in the Trans. Linn. Soc. {Bond.), Vol. XV., p. 202, 
1827, gave the following account : “In Mr. Caley’s MSS. are the following 
notices of this bird : “Its native name is Natay'Un ; the settlers call it Dollar 
Bird, from the silver-like spot on the wing. It is a noisy bird when on the 
wing, but mostly so in the evening, after other birds have gone to roost. It 
may then both be heard and seen on the tops of trees, particularly on dead 
branches, where it is most easily shot by so exposing itself. Its flight is 
much like that of the Swallow, but I have never observed it long upon the 
wing, as it generally betakes itself, as I before mentioned, to the top of some 
high tree or decayed branch, from whence it darts more readily upon its 
prey. At this time (the evening) the Beetles, which I have found in 
their stomachs, are upon the wing. It is a bird of passage. The earliest 
period of the year at which I have noticed it was on the 3rd of October, 
1809 ; and I have missed it early in February. It is most plentiful about 
Christmas.” 
They continue : “ This bird, which seems to spread itself very generally 
over the Eastern world, was originally placed by Linnaeus among the Rollers, 
or his genus Goracias ; and although it has latterly been formed into a 
distinct genus from that group, it has still been arranged next to it by the 
greater number of systematic writers.” They strongly dissented from 
that classiflcation, but I do not see any reason for their conclusion, and it 
does not appear to have been considered by any recent systematist. 
They suggested that the habits above recorded agreed with their conclusions, 
but they seem to be of a negative character. Hereafter, I give most of the 
recent life-history, and it will be considered by the serious student to be of 
72 
