THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
When Gray examined the Lambert drawings he recognised the painting 
of Turdus melanops Latham as applicable and wrote : 
“ Turdus melanops Lath. Vieill. “ Ptilotis melanops. 
— Meliphaga melanops Temm. (Name proposed.)” 
Muscicapa mystacea Lath. 
Certhia auriculata Shaw. 
Philemon erythrotis Vieill. 
Meliphaga auricomis V. &. H. 
nec Muscicapa auricomis Lath. 
This was, however, not accepted by Gould, who moreover gave no 
reason, not even noting the first name hi his synonymy of his Ptilotis 
auricomis, but instead including Muscicapa novcehollandice which had priority. 
The name Muscicapa novcehollandice will be discussed later, but here it 
may be stated that it was given to a bird figured hi White’s Journal which 
is certainly not this species. Consequent upon Gould’s usage of auricomis 
that specific name was conthiued without question until Sharpe examined 
the Watling drawings, when, ignorant of Gray’s record of the Lambert 
drawings as above quoted, he wrote (Hist. Coll. Nat. Hist. Brit. Mus., 
Vol. II., p. 130, 1906): 
“ No. 121. Black-eyed Thrush Lath., Gen. Syn., Suppl. II., p. 181. 
Turdus melanops Lath., Ind. Orn. Suppl., p. XL. 
Ptilotis auricomis (Lath.) Gadow, Cat. B., IX., p. 242. 
“ Watling’s note : * Natural size. The native name of this very common 
bird in New South Wales is Dar-wang. It is a very lively bird, and by us 
called the Yellow-eared Flycatcher. The tongue is feathered at the tip for 
sucking honey, which it is very fond of. It builds its nest on the pensile 
branch of some trees or low shrubs, as, I suppose, to avoid the opossum, flying 
squirrel, lizards, guana, and birds and mice. The yellow at ears are tufts 
of feathers longer than those on the other part of the head.’ 
"No. 122. Black-eyed Thrush. 
'This figure is the type of the ‘Yellow-tufted Flycatcher’ of Latham 
(Gen. Syn. Suppl. II., p. 21 o= Muscicapa auricomis Lath. Ind. Orn. Suppl., 
p. xlix.). The species, therefore, must bear the name of Ptilotis melanops 
(vide supra No. 121). 
' Watling’s note : ‘ Half the natural size. Native name Dar-wang.' 
" No. 133. Mustachoe Flycatcher Latham, Gen. Syn. Suppl. II., p. 221. 
Muscicapa mystacea Lath., Ind. Orn. Suppl., p. LI. 
Ptilotis auricomis Gadow, Cat. B., IX., p. 242 (vide supra No. 121). 
\\ atling gives the following note: ‘ Two-thirds the natural size. This 
bird is often seen contending with small Parroquets.’ ” 
512 
