THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Sphenura is generally quoted from Lichtenstein 1823 Catalogue, published 
in 1823, where on p. 40 is written: “Sphenura. Novum genus, intermedium 
inter Certhias, Sittas, Sylvias, Turdos.” A good diagnosis is given and then 
“ Typus : T urdus brachypteras Lath. T. Coray a Lin. Gm. Certhia 
cinnamomea Lin. Gm. Fringilla macrura Lin. Gm.” 
The species listed in his Verzeichniss der Doubletten des zoologischen 
Museums, i.e., Catalogue of Duplicates of the Museum, Berlin, read : S. acacice 
N., 8 . erythroptera (ex Lin. Gm.), 8 . albicollis N., S. sulphurascens N., 8. 
poliocephala N., 8. superciliaris N., 8. frontalis N., 8. mentalis N., 8. 
cinnamomea (ex Lin. Gm.), 8. ruficeps N., 8. coray a (ex Lin. Gm.), 8. striolata 
N., 8. fringillaris (Fringilla macroura Lin. Gm.), and S. Tibicen N. Not. 
Numerus specieram hujus generis in Museo nostro hospitantium 24. 
For many years Sphenura has been restricted to the Australian bird, 
though it is obvious that the majority of the species were not congeneric. 
A complication now arises in the fact that Sphenura had been recorded 
by Lichtenstein in his earlier Catalogues and first appeared in his V erzeichniss 
von Vogel published in May, 1822, where on pp. 7 and 8 are listed Sphenura 
poliocephala, sulphurascens, superciliaris, frontalis and coraya. As will be seen 
above, these are all nomina nuda, save coraya , the others being described 
in the 1823 Catalogue. If it be concluded that Sphenura is recognisable as 
from this list, its type must be coraya and the name Dasyornis must be used 
for the Australian brachyptera. 
It may be noted that Lesson in his Complement de Buffon used Dasyornis 
and restricted Sphenura to 8. tibicen, noting “ En creant son genre, y a en- 
tasse un grand nombre d’oiseaux disparates,” and in 1823 Lichtenstein 
himself noted of coraya “ Obs. Species ambigua inter Sphenuras et Trog- 
lodytas.” 
Key to the Series. 
Larger upper-surface uniform D. brachypterus. 
Smaller upper-surface with glossy grey tips to the feathers D. longirostris. 
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