BROWN TIT. 
When Gould began his memorable investigations into the Australian 
Avifauna he described Acanthiza diemenensis from Tasmania. After he 
returned from Australia he added Acanthiza ewingii and Acanthiza pyrrho- 
pygia, the former from Tasmania also, the latter from the Belts of the Murray, 
South Australia, and also named the West Australian bird Acanthiza apicalis. 
As early as 1888 Ramsay noted: “It is not improbable that Acanthiza pusilla 
Lath., Acanthiza apicalis Gould and Acanthiza diemenensis Gould, are all one 
and the same species, or mere local varieties.” He admitted Acanthiza 
pyrrhopygia as a valid species without discussion, though this had been doubt- 
fully admitted by Sharpe in the Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum , 
Vol. 7, p. 296. Gould, in his Handbook , had synonymised his own Acanthiza 
ewingi with the prior Acanthiza diemenensis, and this had been accepted by 
the workers named. Consequently up to 1903 four species were commonly 
accepted by Australians, e.g., Hall, Campbell, viz., Acanthiza pusilla, Acanthiza 
diemenensis, Acanthiza apicalis and Acanthiza pyrrhopygia. 
It will be as well to give Gould’s idea of his own species, thus : “ Acanthiza 
pusilla is most nearly allied to the Acanthiza diemenensis, but may be 
distinguished from that species by its more diminutive size, by its much shorter 
bill, and smaller tail,” and observed “ Acanthiza diemenensis has a much more 
lengthened bill, and is altogether a larger bird than the Acanthiza pusilla .” 
“ Acanthiza apicalis is distinguished from those immediately allied to it, 
Acanthiza diemenensis and Acanthiza pusilla, by its large size, by its larger and 
rounder tail, by the broad and distinct band of black which crosses the tail- 
feathers near their extremities, and by their being largely tipped with white.” 
“ Acanthiza pyrrhopygia differs from the Acanthiza diemenensis, pusilla and 
apicalis, in having a shorter and more robust bill, and in the greater depth of the 
red colouring on the rump and upper tail-coverts ; it also differs from the two 
former in having the tail tipped with white, in which respect it assimilated to 
Acanthiza apicalis, to which it is most nearly allied.” 
Gould also gives some measurements which, as usual, are practically value- 
less, as they disagree with his remarks as well as with actual exact measurement 
taken, thus : 
Acanthiza pusilla Not given. 
Acanthiza diemenensis Total length 4 inches ; bill ^ : wing 2\ : tail 2 : tarsi f 
Acanthiza apicalis 4 i 2 2 | 
Acanthiza pyrrhopygia 4 i 2 Iff 
As above noted, Acanthiza ewingi was regarded as a synonym of the prior 
Acanthiza diemenensis, and was consequently disregarded by later followers of 
Gould’s work until 1903, when it was re-instated and has received recognition 
as a distinct species which it is not as hereafter shown. It seems possible that 
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