44 
ASHBY, The Genus Calamanthus. 
The Kmu 
[_ 1st July 
A Review of the Genus Calamanthus 
By EDWIN ASHBY, M.B.O.U., C.F.A.O.U., etc., 
“Wittunga,” Blackwood, South Australia. 
By arrangement the skins of members of the above genus, be¬ 
longing to the collections in the S.A. Museum, and those of Mr. 
Parsons and the writer, were recently assembled together and a 
careful examination made in daylight. 
Calamanthus fuliginosus Vigors and Hors., was first consid¬ 
ered. Skins from both Southern, Central and Northern Tasmania 
were examined and a very wide divergence was noted. Several 
northern skins were decidedly more grey than any from further 
south, but then the two richest coloured, and darkest, skins of 
all were also from the north of that island. This series was 
compared with skins from Victoria and from the South-east of 
this State, with the result that we united in considering them con- 
specific. We were unable to distinguish even sub-specific differ¬ 
ences, for the margin of variance in the skins from Tasmania 
was considerably greater than was the difference observable be¬ 
tween normal Tasmanian skins and the mainland birds. 
C . montanellus Milligan. — The only skins available were three 
specimens in the writer’s, collection, one from the type locality, 
one from the Wongan Hills and the other a recent skin from 
much further north. We were able to substantiate the conclu¬ 
sions that were urged by the writer at the Adelaide Congress, 
viz., that montanellus was certainly deserving of full specific 
rank. The beak, shape of head and markings, all show charac¬ 
teristic differences. It was agreed that this species is nearer to 
fuliginosus than to campestris. 
C. campestris Gould. — A long series of skins ranging from 
south-east of Adelaide, westward to Eyre's Peninsula and north¬ 
wards to the Gawler Ranges and a locality 50 miles north of 
Port Augusta was examined. Port Augusta is the type locality. 
While there is, as might be expected, some margin of diver¬ 
gence, the general characters are consistent throughout. We 
concluded that all birds found south of a latitude of not more 
than 50 miles north of Port Augusta, will be found to be easily 
referable to this species. 
C. isabellinus North. — A fairly long series was examined, 
ranging from Leigh’s Creek northwards and westwards to Point 
Cloates and Day Dawn, in North-western Australia. We found 
that the general characters throughout this very extended habitat 
were constant. Birds in which the striations on the crown were 
absent (as originally described by North) come from the same 
localities and were found breeding together with birds which 
show the striations and are identical with the bird described 
under the name of rubiginosus by Campbell. North informed 
Dr. Morgan many years ago, that he had found out that Isabel- 
