PASSERIFORMES. 
termed natural with some degree of truth. Sundevall added : “ It is not without 
interest to mention here that one cannot show any internal characters for the 
two highest classes of animals so truly characteristic of them as those which 
are the most superficial, viz., the covering of the skin with hair or feathers.” 
Consideration of the external features of birds such as are used in the grouping 
of species and genera will assuredly lead to a better understanding of the higher 
groupings, and may be utilised with confidence. 
In the present Order, it is necessary to lay great stress upon minute 
particulars," as the whole series present a superficial similarity so pronounced 
that families are up to the present existent as “ waste paper baskets.” 
Such was the term given by a famous ornithologist to a family used 
for varied forms of birds not otherwise accurately determinable. However, 
it is here proposed to neglect such items and to deal more or less correctly 
with the birds allotted to the Order in the Australian Avifauna. That avi- 
fauna, as we have seen in all other groups, is composed of peculiarly endemic 
groups intermingled with obviously extra-Australian groups. Thus the Honey- 
eaters of Australia constitute a well-marked constituent of the avifauna and 
these are confined to the Australian Region, thereby characterising it. On 
the other hand, Finches are comparatively few in number and all belong to 
the “ Plocean alliance ” which is characteristic of the Ethiopian Region of 
Africa and have reached Australia by way of India and Malaysia. 
As indicated above an Australian bird, Atrichia clamosa Gould, was 
considered an abnormal form and therefore might be classed as the lowest in 
the scale. I disagree with this, however, and consider it as merely a degraded 
passerine, and not a peculiar unmodified stage. A similar parallel appears in 
Petroica, which is simply a degraded Ficedula , but which shows such internal 
features as to have been termed “ Struthious Warbler.” 
As to the highest form even more difference of opinion has been expressed, 
and though following Sharpe’s “ Hand-List ” the Corvidae will take that position 
there seem to be no decided characters to favour that family. Stejneger 
discussed this matter and dismissed from the head position the Turdfdae as 
though they are “ the best songsters, possess the most specialised tarsus, the 
scales both in front and behind being fused into continuous laminae or boots ” 
they show “ a generalised state of coloration, young ones being very different 
from the adults, and spotted ” ; the Corvidae also fell short of the ideally highest 
form of the Order which was diagnosed with “ booted tarsi, nine primaries, 
long mandibular symphysis, powerful bill for grain crushing, a digestive system 
adapted to grain feeding, and coloration of young and adults unspotted and 
similar ” ; and therefore selected the Finches, specially naming the American 
Grosbeak as his particular example, which result was criticised by Newton who 
3 
