FAN-TAILED CUCKOO. 
Ptilotula penicillata, Meliornis novcehollandice, Eamsayornis fasciatus and 
Lichenostomus ornatusP 
With regard to ejection of young foster-nestlings much has been written in 
the Emu, but in so many cases the notes concerning the different species are so 
intermingled that no peculiarities of the different genera have been distinguished. 
The best work to be done by Cuckoo students is to speciahse in one Cuckoo, and 
work put the life-history as clearly as possible for a district, paying attention 
to the details which are enumerated in connection with the European Cuckoo 
under the preceding species, with the additional items peculiar to Australia, 
such as times of coming and going, laying, position of nests selected, antagonism 
or otherwise to other Cuckoo genera in the district, effect of parasitism, as given 
by Campbell, etc. Wlien these have been secured, comparison can be made 
with the results of other observers and probably some more definite knowledge 
gained. Thus, Macgillivray, from Cape York, suggests different habits for 
different species in the same district, and different egg coloration for the same 
species in different localities. 
Australian Cuckoos have been verv unfortunate in their nomenclature, 
through the description of drawings, immature specimens, wrongly localised 
birds, or all combined. The present species has suffered as much as any, but 
it seems that the earliest correct name is now in use. As noted above. Vigors 
and Horsfield described it as C. cineraceus and G. incertus, and Gould used this 
name in the Folio edition of his work. In his “ Handbook ” he altered the name 
to C. flabelliformis, as in the meanwhile the drawings upon which Latham 
based his descriptions of Australian birds had come to fight and been examined 
by Gray, Strickland and himself. Gray did not attempt to recognise the drawing, 
but Gould accepted the name, and the species was thence known as G. fiabelli- 
formis. Latham had copied the drawing when he described his new species, 
but this had not been utilised in connection with this species, as it showed several 
discrepancies. However, Gould’s usage prevailed until 1906, when North 
demurred, and peculiarly enough he was agreeable to use the Lathamian name 
for the smaller “ Square-tailed ” species. In my “ Handlist ” I accepted North’s 
decision until such time as I was able to investigate the matter for myself. 
This soon occurred, and I absolutely rejected flabelliformis in any connectiqn 
with these Cuckoos : there is too much discrepancy in detail to admit the 
name as absolutely applicable to any Australian species : the barred fan-tail 
is certainly Cuckoo-like, but not much else can be used. 
Then I noted that Latham’s Sylvia rubricata, which had been accepted 
as the basis of Origma rubricata, was described from the present species. The 
type painting is very good, but the feet are drawn wrong, as the artist was not 
an ornithologist ; but Sharpe recognised the drawing, without considering the 
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