148 
Correspondence 
TTha Emu 
L 1st Oct. 
the sort. On page 59 of Vol. VI. of The Birds of Australia, 
we read: — “In the Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales, 
published in 1790, White gave figures and descriptions of new 
or rare birds and to these attached Latin names.” On page 
470 of the same volume he writes: — “White, in the ‘Journal 
Voyage New South Wales,’ also gave a plate opposite p. 263, 
and also selected the same vernacular name [as that given in 
Phillip’s Voyage], but added a Latin diagnosis and gave a Latin 
name, Psittacus discolor.” On page 250 of Vol. I. we find:— 
“White described Fulica alba, and gave a figure,” and on page 
288 of Vol. VIII.: — “This common species was figured by 
White.” 
As regards the quotation of the names of Shaw and Nodder 
as.the authors of names given in the “Naturalists’ Miscellany,” I 
believe this usage was begun by Mr. Mathews, and that pre¬ 
viously it had been customary to quote Shaw only as the 
author. Mr. Mathews states that he does this because “in the 
dedications both these names are included.” I pointed out, 
however, that on the title-page of a volume in my possession the 
words “by G. Shaw, M.D., F.R.S.; the Figures by F. P. Nodder, 
Botanic Painter to Her Majesty,” occur. Whether such a title 
page is rare or is found in most volumes, I do not know — we in 
Australia are at a great disadvantage in such matters. It occurs 
only in the first volume of my set. 
Since Mr. Mathews in the last sentence of his letter advo¬ 
cates the quoting of “the name on the title page of the work,” he 
will surely now revert to the name of Shaw alone as the author 
of “The Naturalists’ Miscellany,” even though the author and 
illustrator both attach their names to the dedication of the first 
volume to the Queen, and of later volumes to other eminent 
persons. — -Yours, etc., 
W. B. ALEXANDER. 
Prickly Pear Laboratory, 
Sherwood, Queensland, July 15, 1924. 
Postscript. — Since writing the above letter, I have noted that 
in “The Birds of Australia/’ Vol. V., p. 45, Mr. Mathews wrote: 
“Almost simultaneously was published in the ‘Journal Voyage 
New South Wales,’ by White, p. 250, a description of ‘The 
White Hawk ( Falco albus), f and this was accompanied by a 
coloured figure, which appears to be the first published figure of 
this bird. White’s account admits Shaw’s aid when doing the 
birds.” I was incorrect, therefore, in stating that Mr. Mathews 
had given no hint that the descriptions in White’s Journal were 
by Shaw, but this statement is not accurate, since it was not 
White, but the editor, Wilson, who “admitted Shaw’s aid.”— 
W.B.A. (21/7/24). 
