I 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
In my “ Handlist,” following Sharpe’s advice, I altered the name to 
Cuculus saturatus Blyth, but during the preparation of my “ Reference List ” 
I found that the names selected had been aU of a doubtful nature, and therefore 
in the Austral Avian Record, where I pubhshed some prehminary notes on 
Cuckoos, I wrote (Vol. I., p. 9) : “ The races of Cuculus canorus Linne are 
difficult to determine, and as the material at my disposal does not warrant me 
in stiU accepting G. saturatus from a study of the original description, I am revert- 
ing to the name proposed by Gould, C. optatus. A name, given by S. Muller, 
C, canoroides, may be applicable, but in the present uncertain state of the 
nomenclature of the species, I am using the name certainly available, as it was 
given to the Australian form. Dr. Hartert is now working upon these puzzling 
birds for his Vogel der palairhtischen Fauna, and when the results of his 
studies are pubhshed I shall be able to make a more positive decision. I 
am tentatively referring to the Australian form as Cuculus canorus optatus 
Gould.” 
In my “ Reference List ” the name used was Cuculus optatus Gould, as Hartert 
showed me that the Australian bird was specifically distinct, and further agreed 
after some hesitation that my choice of Gould’s name must be upheld. 
It is, however, probable that subspecies are distinguishable, and I separated 
the birds from Lord Howe Island collected by Mr. Roy BeU as Cuculus optatus 
belli on account of their paler coloration as well as larger size. Further, the 
immature from Australia and Lord Howe Island differ from immature from 
Halmahera. It is unfortunate that we do not yet know the lines of migration 
in the east or else we might be able to trace the different subspecies. 
The British Ornithologists’ Union’s Expeditions to South-west New Guinea 
met with this bird, and Claude Grant noted, as given in the Ibis, Jubilee 
Suppl., No. 2, Dec., 1915, p. 182 : “ A few examples of this Cuckoo were 
met with occasionally. They frequented posts and stumps of trees in the 
clearings around the camps. They uttered no call, and were by no means wild.” 
In the same place Ogilvie-Grant observed : “ These specimens vary considerably 
in size : S ad. wing 194 mm. ; $ ad. 191 mm. ; ^ imm. in first plumage 179; 
$ imm. 180 mm ; imm. 195, 199 mm.” 
These immature also differ from the Australian birds, so that it is possible 
that the birds which arrive in the north-west of Austraha travel by a different 
route from those that come down via Cape York, while the Lord Howe birds 
may represent stiU a third route. It is best to put these items on record, as so 
little is yet known concerning these Cuckoo movements. 
The type of CovldiB optatus was described from Port Essington, so that there 
is a probability of the large Lord Howe Island visitor being distinct. 
Though I have immature from Austraha, I do not know that the egg has 
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