THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
of the species grouped together in some cases indicated the heterogeneous 
content of the “ genera.” 
In Austraha we are not much concerned in this matter, as the species 
represented are of such diverse forms that for the ten species recognised five 
genera were allowed by genus-lumpers. With the genus-splitting methods 
I utilised in my “ List ” only seven genera were determined, and it was only 
necessary to propose one new one, the others having been created more than 
fifty years previously. Most of the details will be given in their places in 
comiection with the genera concerned. 
In the Bulletin of the American Museum of Natural History (Vol. XXXI., 
pp. 239-3II, 1912) W. de W. Miller furnished “ A Revision of the Classification 
of the Kingfishers.” The main feature in the preparation of this article 
was, of course, the classification of the American species, but a review, as 
far as material was available, was made of the whole of the group. 
As one result, considering the Kingfishers as one Family, instead of the 
two subfamilies Sharpe admitted, three subfamilies were recognised. Miller 
concluded : “ The separation of the genera of the Alcedo-Myioceyx group in 
two subfamilies is, in my opinion, altogether artificial and unnatural. The 
close interrelationship of all these genera is indicated by their strong mutual 
resemblances in size, colour, and form (particularly the dorsal feathering, 
the very short tail, and the proportionate length of the toes), and it is quite 
evident that the breadth of the biU alone is insufficient for more than generic 
definition. Furthermore, the two groups are nearly, if not quite, connected 
by certain species of Ceyx and Alcyone, while Ispidina leucogaster is said by 
Sharpe to approach Corythornis. These seven genera, Alcedo, Gorythornis, 
Alcyone, Ceyx, Ceycopsis, Ispidina and Myioceyx, taken together, appear to 
be sufficiently well characterised to form a subfamily of their own, combining 
to some extent certain characters of the two other subfamilies, but possessing 
several peculiar to this group.” 
Definitions were then given of the subfamilies, but these serve best to show 
the convergence manifest throughout this group, as it is certain that many 
cases of apparent relationship are due to this cause. Even as Sharpe, who 
was not a constant supporter of colour-values as of generic import, utihsed 
colour-pattern, so does Miller, both constantly quoting coloration alone as 
of great importance. Thus Miller gives as a leading feature of the subfamily 
Alcedinidoe : “ Crown barred or spotted with blue.” This subfamily he 
diagnoses as “ Small, very short-tailed Kingfishers, with all the feathers 
of the dorsal tract elongated, the second toe very short or absent, the orbital 
process of the quadrate practically wanting (the last character possibly 
inconstant).” He then gave Characters of Subfamihes in Detail. Therein 
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