THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Ramsay wrote : “ Piezorhynchus gouldii Gray, and P. albiventris Gould. In 
my previous notes on these species I alluded to the opinion held by Mr. Sharpe 
that P . gouldii and P. albiventris were the same. I am glad to find that Mr. 
Sharpe has considerably modified this view in the Voyage of the Alert , pp. 14, 
15, where, however, I think he has erred on the other side, in separating the 
specimens found at Port Molle as a distinct species under the name of Piezo- 
rhynchus medius, on account, as far as I can ascertain, of their black upper 
tail-coverts. Specimens before me from near Port Denison agree in every 
respect with P. medius , but among them are also others in which the upper 
tail-coverts vary from bluish-gray to black, this I find depends on the age 
and sex of the individual. Those from N.S. Wales are palest in the orange- 
rufous tint of the sides of the throat, and chest, while the birds from the Card- 
well and Cairns districts farther north are deepest in tint ; the extent of white 
on the outer three tail-feathers also varies, and in one specimen from Port 
Denison, a fourth feather is tipped with white. I regret I did not see Mr. 
Sharpe s correction sooner, but in any case, after examining a very large series 
from the Clarence River in N.S. Wales to Cape York in North Australia, I 
can only find two distinct species, P. gouldii Gray and P. albiventris Gould ; 
P. medius therefore becomes only a synonym of P. gouldii of Gray.” 
Upon examination of many specimens I concluded that there were only 
two ill-defined subspecies, the 44 specific ” characters of the above writers 
being inconstant and variable and difficult to circumscribe. 
However, from the Rockingham Bay district specimens Campbell and 
Barnard concluded ‘ This interesting Flycatcher was always in evidence. 
It does not appear to be the albiventris of more northern habitat. Possibly it 
may be Sharpe’s medius from Port Molle, which Mathews states is synonymous 
with albiventris. Port Molle is a little below Bowen.” 
I named the Inkerman, Queensland, form as differing in being lighter 
above and the under-surface much less buffish-red. 
In view of Campbell’s note it seems difficult to determine how many sub- 
species are recognisable in Australia, especially in view of the restricted range. 
The variation appears to be inconstant, so that while even four subspecies may 
be later easily distinguished, I would suggest at the present time only the 
retention of the two I admitted in my 44 List,” viz. : 
Symposiachrus trivirgatus albiventris (Gould). 
North Queensland. 
8 ymposiachrus trivirgatus gouldii Gray. 
New South Wales ; South Queensland. 
The extra-limital subspecies are just as difficult to define as are the 
Australian ones. 
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