UAT»r 
v °i-xx iv -1 LEACH, Naming Australian Birds 
1925. J ^ 
181 
SOME, R.A.O.U. WORKERS. 
The late A. VV. Milligan, Hon. Ornithologist, Western Austra¬ 
lian Museum, Perth, is remembered by five valid specific names; 
he was a field worker as well as a museum ornithologist.. Our 
veteran member, A. J. Campbell, also has done good service in 
the field, as well as with the “H. L. White Collection, National 
Museum, Melbourne; he likewise has five valid specific names. 
H. L. White, of Belltrees—the well-known patron of Australian 
ornithology—has two specific names, and several other membei s 
have each one valid name. 
GREGORY MATHEWS, AN OUTSTANDING FIGURE. 
Since 1906, Mr. Gregory Mathews has investigated matters 
connected with Australian ornithology. Assisted by Mr. I om 
I redale he has cleared up every obscure point. A thoroughly 
£ honest worker, he has even dropped his own name when f i esh 
evidence was available. He has seven new generic and fifteen 
specific names. Begun in 1906, his great work— “The Birds of 
Australia” — is still about two years from complete publication. 
He has been so helpful in discussing difficulties and in making 
information available that at last we are approaching finalit}. 
Mathews is certainly the outstanding figure of the fourth period. 
THE GENERAL POSITION—GENERA, SPECIES AND 
SUBSPECIES. 
Mathews' offer to accept large genera if his many names aie 
printed as subgenera, opens the way to agreement. T his sec¬ 
tion (genera) is now a matter of adjustment. 
As concerns species, our list occupies a middle position. 
Mathews' Handlist (1908) had 883 species — many were races or 
subspecies. The Official Checklist (1913) reduced these to 751, 
and listed 78 (mainly subspecies) in the Provisional List. 
Mathews' Checklist (1924) has 664 species. The Second Edition 
of the Official Checklist (1925) has 704 species. Mathews re¬ 
gards 35 of our species as subspecies. This is largely a mattei 
of personal judgment, for, in nature, there are only individuals; 
scientists may, in good faith, differ as to the grouping of these. 
Members early decided that the time was not opportune for 
consideration of the validity of the many subspecies proposed. 
The absence of much material from Australia was largely re¬ 
sponsible for that decision. All synonyms used in recognised 
. works on Australian Birds, whether names of valid subspecies 
or not, have been listed in the order of giving. , 
VERNACULAR NAMES ARE IMPORTANT. 
While scientific names are necessary for the scientist, they are 
of less interest to the general worker, the bird lover, and the 
man in the street. Every bird has a recognised vernacular name 
