INTR ODUCTI ON 
TN bringing my Check List to a conclusion, I should like to point out 
that I have, as far as I know, brought together every synonym 
connected with the Birds of Australia. 
I hare not attempted to divide the species into sub-species in this 
List, as I have done so in the body of the work. 
I find myself in disagreement with the Check List Committee of 
the Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union, on certain birds which they 
consider species and I do not. But I would say that I have again gone 
mto these points and find that, after having handled about 100,000 skins, 
with a few exceptions I still agree with my Check List. I feel sure, 
moreover, that if we could meet and discuss these things we should find 
ourselves in agreement. 
As regards genera, I cannot agree to the unwieldy ones in use, in 
many cases as large as the family. Genus lumping is liable to lead to 
careless work, whereas genus splitting makes a worker look at his birds 
more accurately. However, we agree to differ for the present. 
After Iso. 582, the plate numbers have been added as far as is 
possi e at present. These may of course be altered as the work pro¬ 
gresses, ut I have finished my^ descriptions of the birds, etc., and have 
6 hi aiTangGd * n ^ le orc ^ er the plates, so that the numbering is, 
roug y speaking, correct and gives an idea of the plates and parts still 
to come. 
In this work I shall have figured about one hundred species that 
are not given in Gould’s Birds of Australia, and very many sub-species, 
ave tried in most cases to figure a bird from a different locality than 
6 ° ne s ^ 10 ' ni ky Gould, so that anyone using these two works will have 
many sub-species laid before him 
, , Check List, any worker who desires to name a new 
species can see at a glance the type localities, so that the chance of 
g^o a name to a bird from a locality from which one has already been 
described is reduced to a minimum. 
^ nius ^ alwa ys be borne in mind that the first person who designates 
jpe locality to a bird, whose birthplace is in doubt, must be followed 
vii 
