THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Recently no fewer than three more subspecies have been named 
Leggeornis lamberti hartogi Mathews. 
Dirk Hartog Island, West Australia. 
Malurus lamberti dawsonianus H. L. White. 
Dawson River, Queensland. 
and 
Leggeornis lamberti eyrei Mellor. 
Eyre Peninsula, South Australia. 
When H. L. White added his new form he wrote : “ Differs from M. 1. 
assimilis in having a more robust bill, the black band at the back of the neck 
wider, while the blue of the head and back is of a much more purple shade, 
and the chestnut shoulders are considerably darker, in fact, it is as much darker 
than iff. 1. assimilis as that form is darker than M. 1. lamberti. In size it is 
slightly smaller than either of the others mentioned. Of the other subspecies 
mentioned by Mr. Mathews, my bird most nearly approaches M. 1. mastersi, from 
the Northern Territory, but is easily separable from that form by the fact that 
its ear-coverts are of a quite distinct shade, being more like those of iff. 1. 
bernieri from Western Australia.” 
Then A. J. Campbell made some remarks : “ The true Eastern iff. 
lamberti appears to be a very separate form (subspecies), while iff. assimilis 
is more mixed, and extends right across the inland provinces of the continent. 
It is a poor race or variety, that one cannot name except one knows the 
locality it is from. Of the assimilis type, the Dawson bird, on the east, with 
its larger bill, and the Bernier Island bird, on the west, with the lighter 
chestnut shoulders, may both be picked out. Two fine Coongan skins 
( assimilis ) may be either Mathew’s mungi or occidentalism 
Later Campbell added, regarding the birds from Dirk Hartog Island : “I 
mentioned that this extreme western race may be either Mathew’s mungi or 
occidentals. It is now stated to be the latter. Specimens from Dirk Hartog 
and from the mainland do not differ ; this was also observed by Carter, and 
is somewhat remarkable, seeing that Bernier birds (from next island but one 
to Dirk Hartog) are appreciably different, the male having a very distinct 
diva-blue (darker on the cheeks), correctly shown in Grant’s figure (in the Ibis ) ; 
while both male and female have darker blue tails than either Hartog or main- 
land birds.” 
Carter considered the Dirk Hartog Island birds as differing. 
Apparently all the subspecies named must be admitted at present and 
probably more will be distinguished. 
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