=-~ ~~—_— NEW SOUTH WALES_ a eonmoe 5 PROCEEDINGS Royal Zoological Society OF for the Year 1954-55 $ ig : a ™ f : 4 SSo SSO COs coesoeeesocesweetdesoeooeeeowoe sooo o@ooo ee ooe2 eo” . Price, 4/- (Free to all Members and Associates) Sydney: - Published by the Society, 28 Martin Place April 10, 1956 Regi fered at the G.P.O., Sydney, for transmission by post as a periodical :) * % . % ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES Established 1879 REGISTERED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT 1899 (1917) Patron: His Excellency Lieutenant-General Sir John Northcott, K.C.M.G., KG. VeOueCB: Vice-Patrons: Sir Philip Woolcott Game, G.C.V.O., G.B.H., K.C.B., K.C.M.G., D.S.O. The Right Honourable Sir John Greig Latham, G.C.M.G. COUNCIL, 1954-55. : President: James Roy Kinghorn, F.R.Z.S., C.M.Z.S., F.C.A.S. . Vice-Presidents: . Sir Edward Hallstrom, K.B., F.R.Z.S. Garnet Halloran, M.D., B:Sc., F.R.C.S, (Hdin.), F.R.A.C.S., F.R.Z.S. Emil Herman Zeck, F.R.Z.S. Aubrey Halloran, O.B.E., B.A., LL.B., F.R.Z.S. Honorary Secretary: Mrs. Leone Harford. Honorary Solicitor: Aubrey Halloran, 0.B.E., B.A., LL.B., F.R.Z.S. Honorary Editor: Gilbert Percy Whitley, F.R.Z.S. Honorary Treasurer: Geoffrey Alan Johnson. Members of Council: Lieut.-Colonel Henry Burgh Theodore Cleveland Roughley, B.Sc., Ernest Jeffrey Gadsden F.R.Z.S. Percy Fincham Harvey Ellis Le Geyt Troughton, F.R.Z.S., James Allen Keast, M.Sc., M.A., C.M.Z.S. Pho; John Waterhouse. Anthony Irwin Ormsby, LL.B. Leonard Webber — OFFICERS (Non-Councillors). Acting Honorary Treasurer: R. Murnin. Honorary Auditor: M. 8S. Davies, F.C.A. (Aust.). Honorary Librarian: Mrs. P. R. Johnston. Assistant Honorary Secretary: Miss J. M. Coleman. OFFICERS OF SECTIONS _Avicultural Section: Marine Zoological Section: © Chairman: L. Webber Chairman: F. McCamley Hon. Secretary: P. Harvey Hon, Secretary: J. Laseron Budgerigar Section: Ornithological Section: Chairman: W. Hastings Chairman: W. R. Moore Hon. Secretary: J. MacNamara Hon. Secretary: A. McGill General Section: Chairman: Miss H. Pope Hon. Secretary: Miss B. Dew ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY NEW SOUTH WALES The Seventy-fifth Annual Meeting was held at Taronga Zoological Park, Mosman, on Saturday, 30th July, 1955, at 2.30 p.m. EHEighty-one members and friends were present. The Honorary Secretary presented the 75th ANNUAL REPORT Membership: At 1st July, 1955, the total membership of the Society was 528, consisting of 1 Endowment Member, 4 Associate Benefactors, 7 Honorary Members, 57 Life Members, 332 Ordinary Members, 82 Associate Members, 16 Life Associate Members, 4 Honorary Associate Members and 25 Junior Members. During the year the Society lost 10 members by resignation, 6 by death and 45 in the terms of Article 9 of the Constitution, a total of 61 members. Among those lost by death were some very good zoologists, but one who will be long remembered is Colonel A. Spain, who was a Life Member, and was most actively interested in the Society before failing health led to his retirement from the Council. Colonel Spain was a Councillor of the old, unincorporated Society that owned Moore Park Zoo. He also was a foundation Member and Councillor of this Incorporated, Royal Zoological Society. Treasurer: During the year, Mr. G. A. Johnson, busy as he is, offered his services and was elected Treasurer. Council: Eleven Council Meetings were held during the year, the average attendance being 9 members. This may seem a small average, but in addition to normal business keeping some members away, sickness and extended leave accounted for others. Hxtended leave was granted to Lieut. Colonel H. Burgh who was ordered overseas to serve in Korea, and who is now at Staff Headquarters in Melbourne. Extended leave was also granted to Allen Keast who has been studying at Harvard University for two years, where he has graduated as D.Ph. Mr. Aubrey Halloran previously attended all council meetings but has been absent since late last year due to an accident and his wise counsel was sadly missed. Mr. Charles Laseron, a very staunch supporter of the Society, resigned from the Council through ill health, after many years of excellent service. A record of this has been made in the minutes. In terms of Article 26, Miss Elizabeth Pope, M.Sc., of the Australian Museum, was appointed by Council to fill the vacancy caused by Mr. Laseron’s resignation. Fellowship: The Council was pleased to confirm the recommenda- tion of the Qualifications Committee that Mr. Aubrey Halloran, O.B.E., be awarded the Fellowship of this Royal Zoological Society. This was mainly in recognition of his long and valuable services. Mr. Halloran has been a member for well over 50 years. He was “permanent Sec- retary” and a Councillor of the Old Society with headquarters at Moore Park Zoo, and has been a member of the present Council for about 30 years. Diploma: The Council is pleased to award the Diploma of the Society to Mrs. P. Johnston for bibliographical work in connection witn the Society’s library. Trophy: The Council donated a trophy valued at £10/10/- to the Budgerigar Section to be competed for annually and in perpetuity. It cannot be won outright but must be handed in every year to be competed for again. The trophy is to be known as the Royal Zoological Society Trophy. JUL 3S 1956 Publications: The Australian Zoologist vol. XII, pt. 2, has been issued, and tabled at the Annual Meeting. The Proceedings for the year 1953-54 was published on March 4th, 1955. Conferences: Mr. E. L. Troughton represented the Society at all meetings and sub-committees of the Fauna Protection Panel. He also was a delegate to a conference called by the Gosford District Fauna and Flora Protection Panel. This was held in St. James Hall, Sydney, on February 12th, 1955, and had the support of 38 Societies including 4 from Victoria. This conference and another recently arranged by the Warrah-Kariong National Park, dealt mainly with a proposed large fauna-flora reserve in the Hawkesbury River districts. The Council has been represented at or has lent support to other meetings having in mind the protection of the fauna, and recently protested to the Minister for Lands over the transfer of certain areas of the Royal National Park to Sutherland Shire Council for school play areas. The R.Z.S. Council has also offered its support to the Northern Parks and Playgrounds Movement for the better preservation of fauna and flora, on the Barrington-Gloucester Tops project. Mr. E. L. Troughton and HK. J. Gadsden have been appointed dele- gates to the meeting of the Australian and New Zealand Association for the Advancement of Science, to be held in Melbourne during August, 1955. Thanks: Thanks of Council are due to Mr. G. Johnson for negotiat- ing and securing a greatly reduced insurance rate, enabling the Council to take out extra cover on its assets to the extent of £5,500. To Mrs. Kinghorn for a portrait of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II now in the rooms. To Mr. L. Webber for donating the new membership forms. To Mr. N. L. Roberts for the cost of some blocks for the Proceedings and to Mr. Derek Sawer, Asst. Managing Editor, Argus Newspaper, Melbourne, for donating the entire cost of the coloured plate in the current number of the Zoologist. Ladies’ Auxiliary: The Council expresses special thanks to the Ladies’ Auxiliary -for the socials and outings arranged by them, including a very happy Christmas party on 23rd November, 1954, and a bus outing to Stanwell Park on 29th May, 1955. The Ladies’ Auxiliary is presenting a book to the library entitled Methods and Principles of Systematic Zoology by Mayr, Linsley and Usinger. The Balance Sheet for 1954 was presented to the Meeting. The President welcomed the Guest of Honour, Dr. J. W. Evans, Director of the Australian Museum. The adoption of the Annual Report was moved by Mr. E. J. Gadsden, seconded by Dr. G. Halloran, and carried. Six retiring members of Council were re-elected. The President dispensed with the customary presidential address and spoke on the work the Society was doing and hoped to do. A vote of thanks to the President was moved by Sir Edward Hallstrom, supported by Mr. Bertram Ford, who spoke of the necessity for conserving the Dee Why Lagoon, and the motion was carried by acclamation. OFFICERS FOR THE YEAR 1955-56 President: Mr. J. R. Kinghorn. Vice-Presidents: Sir Edward Hallstrom, Messrs. A. Halloran and EH. H. Zeck and Dr. G. Halloran. Honorary Secretary: Mrs. L. Harford. Honorary Treasurer: Mr. G. A. Johnson. Honorary Solicitor: Mr. A. Halloran. Honorary Editor: Mr. G. P. Whitley. Honorary Librarian: Mrs. P. R. Johnston. Honorary Auditor: Mr. M. S. Davies. 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He was a soldier, architect, company director, and an associate of many concerns. He was President of our Society from 1912 to 1916, a Life Member, and served on the Council for at least ten years before retiring in 1921. Colonel Spain was born at Neutral Bay, Sydney, in 1868. Apart from his business as a leading Sydney architect, he had a long military record from 1890 onwards, he was a member of the Board of Fisheries of New South Wales and represented Australia at the International Congress of Fisheries at Vienna in 1905, and was President of Taronga Park Trust until 1941. He was an extremely keen yachtsman and fisherman and had been awarded the Royal Shipwreck Relief Society’s silver medal for gallantry in saving life in Sydney Harbour. SIR FREDERICK DUNCAN McMASTER, KT. Another distinguished member who has died was Sir Frederick McMaster, pastoralist and public benefactor, of ‘Dalkeith,’ Cassilis. He was born in 1873 and is probably best known to zoologists by the F. D. McMaster Animal Health Laboratory which he founded at the University of Sydney and the field station he provided for C.S.I.R.O. He was director, patron or member of various companies and associa- tions. He died on 28th November, 1954. COMMANDER L. S. MOSSE-ROBINSON, R.N. Leslie Herbert Mosse-Robinson, one of Australia’s foremost collectors of butterflies, died at Narara, near Gosford, in August, 1954. His private collection of butterflies and moths is said to contain 97,000 specimens; it was his life-study and he contributed some short papers on lepidoptera to entomological journals. He was for many years a member of our Society and of the Rangers’ League and was a founder of the Entomological Society of New South Wales. We regret to announce the deaths of Mr. Gerald F. Hill, entomologist and ornithologist, of Mr. A. Pennell, of Mr. Jack Murray, a leading aviculturalist, Mr. J. W. Catt, prominent in Budgerigar Section affairs, and of other members who died during the year and whose friends will miss them from our meetings. REPORTS OF SECTIONS Avicultural Section The Avicultural Section has again passed through a successful and interesting year, with Mr. L. Webber as chairman, and continues to hold the interest of members in the care and breeding of our feathered friends. During the year the section attendances averaged 14 with 24 at the August meeting when Mr. J. Waterhouse gave a very interesting talk on a trip to the Atherton Tableland with the aim of being the first to photograph the Golden Bower Bird in colour. Those present were privileged to see all the interesting points and places of this trip in their natural colour without the hard and patient labour that was necessary to bring success to members of this Society making the trip. Mr. B. Read gave a very instructive talk on the breeding and feeding of the Nectar Parrots in the aviary and the: breeding and sexing of the Longtail Grassfinch (Poephila acuticauda). Members were again privileged to hear a very interesting talk by Mrs. EK. Blaxland on the breeding and rearing of the Hooded Parakeet in her aviaries. At the March meeting Mrs. Blaxiand brought a young Scarlet Chested Parakeet that was only partly feathered. This young bird had been thrown out of the nest by its parents and Mrs. Blaxland had taken over the duties of hand rearing. During the evening members were given a demonstration of mixing the food and feeding the young bird by means of an eye-dropper. This bird was again shown to members at the April meeting when it was completely feathered and in perfect condition. During the past season Mrs. Blaxland had the remarkable success of breeding 33 Scarlet-Chested Parakeets. Mr. Webber gave an interesting talk entitled “Three Rare Wax- bills,’ recounting his experiences in South Africa on a search for three very rare Waxbills, rare even in South African aviaries. During the year the Section was entertained on three occasions by means of Kodachrome projections by the following: Mr. F. A. Graham: “Through Northern Australia.” Mr. F. Gordon: ‘The Beauty Spots of New Zealand.” Mr. P. Harvey: “Carcoar and its Surrounding District.” The Section has again been able to assist non-members in the treatment of ailing birls and enabling them to be restored to healthy specimens. These requests come to the Section per medium of the Australian Museum and the Department of Agriculture. As the beautifully coloured foreign birds are on the prohibited immigrant list members are turning to some of our own birds that were previously considered very hard to keep in the aviary. Many of our Australian birds open up a new and big field for the scientific and genetic work of the enthusiastic breeders of this Section. We would like to see more of the Avicultural members of the Society at the meetings during the coming year for I feel sure we can help anyone keeping birds, even one bird in a cage as a pet of the family, to make the life of our feathered friends healthier and happy. Percy F. HARVEY, Hon. Secretary. Budgerigar Section Average attendance at meetings during the past year was Zon vAll but two of the meetings held dealt entirely with the budgerigar. The exceptions were a talk by Mr. Moore with coloured slides on a trip through Queensland and a general film screening by Mr. Aschoff. To both these gentlemen I would like to express the thanks of the members for two very enjoyable evenings. Four table shows were held, three for young birds and one for pairs. The number of birds brought along could have been better but one young bird show held in October had a good entry. A lecture on the breeding of grey-wings was given by Mr. Bright at the April meeting. It is with deep regret that we record the deaths of two of our members, Mr. A. Pennell and Mr. J. W. Catt. Mr. Catt had for many years been a judge at our Annual Show. A new specialist club, The Budgerigar Society of Australasia, was formed in Sydney last August and should do much to stimulate interest in the fancy. Cur congratulations to them for having completed their first year so successfully. As usual, the main event for the Budgerigar Section was our Annual Show. This year’s show was the 19th, and, breaking tradition, we moved indoors. For 18 years the exhibition was a lawn show at the Fairfax home, “Elaine,” at Double Bay, but this site was not available this year. The new venue was the Congregational Hall at Newtown, and on the day of the show it poured rain for the first time since the shows began. Birds exhibited numbered 320, including 23, by juvenile members and came from as far afield as Newcastle and Wollongong. The standard set by the exhibits was quite good. At the Annual Meeting held June, 1955, Mr. H. Yardley, who has been Chairman for a number of years, did not stand for re-election. Mr. Yardley has been the backbone of this Section for many years. It is hoped that his health will be much better in the future. Officers elected were: E Chairman: Mr. W. K. Hastings. Vice-Chairmen: Mr. H. Yardley, Mr. G. Barnett. Hon. Secretary: Mr. J. MacNamara. Assist. Secretary: Mr. J. Bright. The Chairman and I wish to thank all those who helped the Section during the year, both by financial assistance and hard work. J. H. MAcNAMARA, Hon. Secretary. General Zoology Section The General Section during the past year continued the monthly meetings and provided an excellent programme of lectures covering a wide range of subjects. Excellent lectures were given by the scientific officers of the Museum and from the Department of Zoology of the University of Sydney, and some members of the R.Z.S. Mr. A. Colefax in his talk on ‘Experimental Zoology—Frogs”’ held surprises and keen interest to a good audience. Kodachromes illus- trated his commentary and we could see the famous Corroboree frog in flamboyant plack and yellow stripes. The subject of the Dingo by Dr. McIntosh was a welcome {fopic. One of the highlights of the year was a talk by Mr. WH. Slater on the scientific expedition through the Wahgi Valley and Central Western Highlands of New Guinea. The colour transparencies with which he illustrated this were unforgettable, and the whole of the journey was depicted from the take-off by plane, through the mountains 7 and jungle accompanied by a hitherto unknown native tribe. For- tunately there was a capacity audience to enjoy this special event, and the questions that were answered showed the intense interest aroused. Mr. Kinghorn’s talk on “Some Zoo Problems’ was a novel idea, many humorous incidents of what goes on behind the scenes were related, and this proved to be a very entertaining evening. Mr. Griffiths of the Fauna Protection Board explained how the board’s work was carried out and how school children were encouraged to protect native fauna, and spoke of the proposed National Reserve. He said that koala bears which had been absent for years around Jenolan had again been seen in that area. The Chairman, Mr. Gadsden, deserves the gratitude of his fellow members for the good work he has done throughout the year. He gave a talk on “Bird Banding,’ a subject of which he has considerable knowledge; he dealt with seasonal flights, the speed and distances covered in birds’ seasonal migrations, and of the mystery of their long distances in non-stop flights. Miss EK. Pope made a trip to England in August, 1954, and spent some months studying her field of interest at the British Museum. An informal talk on her experiences overseas was given and made highly entertaining by colour transparencies taken by her own camera. Charies Darwin’s famous collection of barnacles was checked by her during her study at the British Museum. ae meetings and lectures given are as set out below:— August 9th: Miss P. McDonald—Museum Educational Work. Sept. 14th: J. R. Kinghorn—Some Zoological Problems. Oct. 12th: A. Colefax—Experimental Zoology—Frogs. Nov. 9th: Dr. N. McIntosh—The Dingo. . Dec. 14th: F. C. Griffiths—Fauna Protection in N.S.W. IS) 5: = Feb. 8th: J. R. Kinghorn—Camouflage and Its Application in Wartime. Mar. 8th: Miss E. Pope—Some Experiences Abroad. Apl. 12th: Open Night. May 10th: EK. Slater—Scientific Expedition to New Guinea. June 8th: E. J. Gadsden—Bird Banding. Annual Meeting. HILDA GREGORY. Hon. Secretary. Marine Zoological Section [No Annual Report had been submitted at the time of going to press.] Ornithological Section The Section is pleased to report a successful year’s work, as the monthly meetings have been well attended and members have shown keen field activity, a number of interesting rcords having been secured. Regular meetings were held monthly during the period. The average monthly attendance of 44 was slightly fewer than that of last year, with 20 the lowest and 66 the greatest number present. Members of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union met with members of the Section by invitation, as previously. The standard of colour films and slides continues to improve, and when such are screened the keenness of the audience is evident. Such a shy jungle-frequenting species as the Golden Bower-bird being the subject of both colour slides and film would have been regarded as 8 most unlikely a few years ago, but Mr. Chaffer secured sOme excellent views during the year in the Cairns district, Queensland, and screened them later to an enthusiastic audience. Some interesting addresses were given at the meetings, and the Section extends its thanks to the lecturers and those who screened films and slides. Amongst the subjects dealt with were: “Birds of the Kermadecs” by Tom Iredale, . “Fauna Protection in Jenolan Caves Reserve’ by J. R. Kinghorn, “Haunts to Remember” by K. A. Hindwood, “The First Australian Bird Book” by W. R. Moore, and “Australian Waders Compared With Those of Other Lands” by A. R. McGill. Conservation matters have occupied the attention of many of the members. Delegates attended a meeting specially convened in February by the Gosford Flora and Fauna Society to further plans for a National Botanic Garden, Fauna Reservation and Arboretum in the Warrah- Kariong area. Word was received during the year from the Chief Guardian of Fauna that the Ground Parrot (Pezoporus wallicus) and Paradise Parrot (Psephotus pulcherrimus) had been declared “Rare Fauna.’ The former bird happily survives in scattered elevated swampy heathland, but the latter species may have already reached extinction in the State. An area in the Bulga-Comboyne district was set aside as a Fauna Sanctuary in the hope that some brush-frequenting species might survive and increase. The only known breeding place of the White-winged Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera), formerly known as Cabbage Tree Island, was happily gazetted as a Fauna Reserve, and renamed “John Gould Faunal Reserve.” The Section continued in its recommendation that Lion Island might also be dedicated a Fauna Reserve, and approaches were again made that a suitable area of mallee country in the south-west of the State might be made a sanc- tuary to ensure the survival of some of our unique mallee-frequenting birds. Word was received from the authorities connected with the work of educating New Australians, through the Director, Mr. Weeden, that attempts were being made to include identification features of conspicuous species of Australian birds in brochures issued monthly to all scholars. This is a matter that requires urgent attention and the Section offered to assist in any way in the work. From the Mittagong Shire Council came a report that, because of widespread indiscriminate shooting of bird-life throughout the Shire, they were contemplating declaring the whole area a Sanctuary. The Section congratulated the Council in their efforts to try and eradicate such destruction and offered any help it could give. The Annual Congress and Camp-out of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union was held in New South Wales in November, the site being the Boy Scouts’ Camp at Mt. Keira. The Congress was opened by Mr. Rex Conner, M.L.A. for the district, and the Chief Guardian of Fauna, Mr. F. J. Griffiths, attended and gave an interest- ing address on Fauna Conservation in the State. About 60 delegates attended from the various States and much ornithological work was achieved. The Gould League held its annual camp at Copeland, on the lower north coast, and reported a very successful function, with a number of interesting birds recorded. At the Annual Meeting of the Section in June all retiring officers were re-elected for a further term of office. Chairman: Mr. W. R. Moore. Vice-Chairman: Mr. E. J. Gadsden. Secretary: Mr. A. R. McGill. Assistant-Secretary: Mr. F. G. Johnston. Committee: Messrs. N. Chaffer, A. H. Chisholm, N. C. Fearnley, K. A. Hindwood, J. A. Palmer and J. D. Waterhouse. ARNOLD R. MCGILL, Secretary. ORNITHOLOGICAL FIELD REPORT FOR 1954-1955 At each meeting of the Ornithological Section observations of unusual interest were given and, when possible, specimens were exhibited. A summary of these records, together with reports forwarded from country members, gives some indication of bird movements and happenings in the State. The 1954-1955 season was certainly a remark- able one trom the viewpoint of bird movement and distribution, due mainly to an unusual irruption of sea-birds. Large numbers succumbed during migration, due apparently to adverse winds and food shortage, and examinations of bodies cast up on the seashore was made on a number of beaches from a little north of the Hawkesbury to south of Wollongong. In July there was severe mortality with prions and various other species migrating south at that time, then in November great numbers of shearwaters came ashore at the peak period of their southern migration. About 2,000 birds were counted on one day scattered along the three-mile stretch of Bate Bay—a total which is as large as any on record. From observation points at Long Reef and Malabar huge flocks were seen close inshore, either passing slowly southwards or feeding ravenously. No fewer than eight species were added to the known avifauna of New South Wales during the year. Two of that number, both New Zealand breeding sea-birds, were new records for Australia, and a further species was added to the Australian avifauna on specimen evidence, although sight records of it previously had been obtained. A specimen of the Grey-backed, or Buller’s, Shearwater (Puffinus bulleri), picked up by E. S. Hoskin on Bate Bay on October 31, 1954, proved to be the first Known occurrence in Australia. About a week later, Messrs. Gibson and Sefton found a further specimen on Woonona beach, which they were able to make into a good study skin. No previous occurrence also of the Blue-footed, or Cook’s, Petrel (Pterodroma cooki) was known in Australia until a well-dried specimen was collected by A. R. McGill on Bate Bay on January 29, 1955. The Southern Black-backed, or Dominican, Gull (Larus dominicanus), which, like the two previously-mentioned petrels, breeds in New Zealand, has been observed on a few occasions since 1943 on the New South Wales and Victorian coast. Up to four birds were seen at Botany Bay during the latter part of 1954 and one remained during the first four months of 1955. A dead bird, well coated with oil which apparently caused its death, was found on the southern part of Botany Bay by K. A. Hindwood on January 1, 1955, the first skin collected in Australia. Although no record of the Blue Petrel (Halobaena caerulea) in New South Wales waters was previously known, no fewer than nine skins were collected in this State between July and December from beaches near Sydney and near Wollongong. Four specimens of the Kerguelen Petrel (Pterodroma brevirostris), likewise not previously known in eastern Australia, were taken between July and October from Hoxton Park and beaches adjacent to Wollongong. A further most important find was one Silver-grey Petrel (Fulmarus glacialoides ) washed up on Thirroul beach and found by J. D. Gibson on July 17. Only a few previous occurrences of that species in Victoria and Western Australia were known so far north. An immature Brown Gannet (Sula leucogaster) was observed and photographed near Port Stephens by A. F. D’Ombrain on May 2, 1954. An immature Lesser Crested Tern (Sterna bengalensis) was picked up on the sand hills of Long Reef by K. A. Hindwood on May 28, 1955. Neither the two foregoing birds had been previously recorded for New South Wales. Only scattered observations of the Cattle EKgret (Bubulcus ibis) have been made in Australia, and none in this State, so the record forwarded by Mervyn Goddard of six pairs breeding on the Clarence River late in 1954, 10 where 300 pairs of the White Egret (Hgretta alba) also nested at the same time, was of considerable interest. Other sea-birds cast up on the beaches included further species which have rarely been recorded in eastern Australia, such as the Brown-headed Petrel (Pterodroma melanopus), Bate Bay, October 2; White-headed Petrel (Pterodroma lessoni), North Manly, May 27; Great-winged Petrel (Pterodroma macroptera), Bellambi, May 1955; Little Shearwater (Puffinus assimilis), Bate Bay, September 25; Fleshy-tooted Shearwater (Puffinus carneipes), Norah Head, July 24; Cape Petrel (Daption capense), a few specimens and at least six birds resting on the water off Malabar, July 11; Wilson Storm-Petrel (Oceanites oceanicus), Bate Bay, October 31; and Red-tailed Tropic- bird (Phaethon rubricaudus), Broughton Island, January 12. Amongst the large mortality with prions in July were five species—the Broad- billed (Pachyptila vittata), Medium-billed (P. salvini), Dove (P. desolata), Thin-billed (P. belcheri) and Fairy (P. turtur). Amongst the large numbers of shearwaters cast ashore in November, mainly of the Short-tailed species (Puffinus tenwirostris), were 20 or more Sooty (P. griseus), but there were relatively few Wedge-tailed (P. pacificus) and Fluttering (P. gavia),, although great numbers of the latter species were seen offshore. In May some specimens of P. tenuirostris, including some immature birds, even with some down still attached to the plumage, came ashore at Thirroul, the first definite instance that some young, at least, migrate northwards along the eastern Australian coast. Among the albatrosses there were few casualties, but a few Blackbrowed (Diomedea melanophris), Shy (D. cauta) and Wandering (D. exulans) were washed up. A dark albatross, believed to be the Sooty, was seen at sea by Messrs. Gibson and Sefton on September 26, near Bulli. At least three specimens of the White-fronted Tern (Sterna striata) were found on the beaches in November, when at that time they would have been expected to have been in New Zealand breeding. An excellent list of 190 species was compiled during the period of the R.A.O.U. Mt. Keira Camp (11 days), and the opportunity taken to summarize all the species known from the Illawarra District. Seven were added during the period of the Camp to the known avifauna of that area—Grey-backed Shearwater, Arctic Skua (Stercorarius para- siticus), Banded Plover (Zonifer tricolor), Black-tailed Godwit (Limosa limosa), Greenshank (Tringa nebularia), Eastern Knot (Calidris canutus) and Little Hagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides). Other species of note observed included the Ground Parrot (Pezoporus wallicus), Eastern Bristle-bird (Dasyornis brachypterus) and Log Runner (Orthonyx temmincki). Breeding data were obtained with 63 of the total observed, including such species as the Brown Pigeon (Macro- pygia phasianella), Pilot-bird (Pycnoptilus floccosus), Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea), Ground Thrush (Oreocincla lunulata), Large- billed Scrub-Wren (Sericornis magnirostris) and Bristle-bird. The proposed trip to the Five Islands during the Camp did not eventuate, but a few members visited that locality in late November and found the Silver Gull (Larus novaehollandiae), Little Penguin (Hudyptula minor), White-faced Storm-Petrel (Pelagodroma marina), Crested Tern (Sterna bergii) and Wedge-tailed Shearwater (Puffinus pacificus) breeding. A trip was also made to Lion Island by a party in late December, where the Little Penguin, Wedge-tailed Shearwater and Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) were found nesting. From the Tenterfield district breeding records were obtained of the Black-throated Finch (Poephila cincta), Squatter Pigeon (Geophaps scripta), Channel Bill (Scythrops novaehollandiae), Powerful Owl (Ninox strenua), Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus), Glossy Black Cockatoo (C. leachi) and Heath Wren 11 (Hylacola pyrrhopygia). In the Deniliquin district reports were for- warded of such species as the Ground Thrush, Australian Dotterel (Peltohyas australis), Orange Chat (Hpthianura aurifrons), Grey Falcon (Falco hypoleucus), Little Crow (Corvus bennetti), Superb Parrot (Polytelis swainsoni) and White-browed Scrub-Wren (Sericornis frontalis ). A survey was made to trace the southern range of the Rock Warbler (Origma rubricata), and birds were found as far as Conjola and Pigeon House Mountain, even occurring on the topmost point of that peak. From the Sydney area were records of two Apostle-birds (Struthidea cinerea) in mangroves near Cronulla, Yellow-tipped Pardalote (Pardalotus striatus) at North Sydney, White-winged Choughs (Corcorax melanorhamphus) at Wollstonecraft, Drongo (Chibia bracteata) eating a Little Thornbill and endeavouring to catch a Spotted Pardalote at Cammeray, Greenshank at Cook’s River, Hoary- headed Grebes (Podiceps poliocephalus) in unusual numbers at Botany lagoons, Little Cuckoo-Shrike (Coracina robusta) in a number of County localities, including North Sydney, Striped Honeyeater (Plecto- rhyncha lanceolata) and Painted Honeyeaters (Grantiella picta) at Plumpton, the latter species nesting, a flock of 18 Marsh Terns (Chlidonias hybrida) at Pitt Town, six immature Pacific Gulls (Larus pacificus) at Botany Bay in June, Pale-headed Rosella (Platycercus adscitus) at Beecroft, Little Eagle at Pennant Hills, Gang Gang Cockatoos (Callocephalon fimbriatum) at Ebenezer, two Grey Plovers (Squatarola squatarola) and small numbers of Great Knots (Calidris tenuirostris) at Botany Bay, and a pair of Stone-Curlews (Burhinus magnirostris) nesting at Careel Bay. Autumn breeding was fairly evident with some species, and nests and eggs of the Painted Quail (Turnix varia), Speckled Warbler (Chthonicola sagitatta) and Spur-winged Plover (Lobibyx novae- hollandiae) were noted. ARNOLD R. MCGILL, . Secretary. 12 SYLLABUS OF SECTIONAL MEETINGS FOR 1955-56 Visitors are welcome and members are invited to bring their friends to any of the Society’s meetings. Avicultural Section. Meets on the fourth Tuesday of each month. Lectures, films, etc. Budgerigar Section. Meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Exhibits, discussions. General Section. Meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Lectures, exhibits and practical work in preparing handbooks. Marine Zoological Section. Meets on the first Tuesday of each month. Lectures, etc. Junior Members’ Study Group. Meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7 pm. Demonstrations, exhibits, discussions, etc., for those aged 16 or under. Conchology Study Group. Meets on the second Thursday of each month at 7.30 p.m. Ornithological Section. Meetings, to which Members of the Royal Australasian Ornitholo- gists’ Union are invited to be present, are held at 7.45 p.m. on the third Thursday of each month. Syllabus: 1955— July 21: Illustrated Address, by Roy McKay. Aug. 18: Illustrated Address, by Ellis McNamara. Sept. 15: Illustrated Address, by Roy P. Cooper. Oct. 20: Discussion on Overseas Bird Study, led by J. E. Roberts. Nov. 17: “Wild Life in’ America,” by J. Allen Keast. Dec. 15: Illustrated Address, by Norman Chaffer. 1956— Jan. 19: Illustrated Address, by D. J. Waterhouse. Feb. 16: Selected Address, by S. G. Lane. Mar. 15: Films in Colour, by Norman Chaffer. April 19: Selected Address, by J. J. Francis. May 17: In Search of a Bird, by K. A. Hindwood. June 21: Annual Meeting, Election of Officers, and Chairman’s Address. 13 Broinowski’s Birds and Mammals of Australia By Tom IREDALE. The only note I have seen regarding Gracius J. Broinowski’s book, “Birds and Mammals of Australia,’ appeared in Mathews’ account of Broinowski (Emu 42, pp. 195-199, portrait, Jan. 1942). Mr. W. Moore, when preparing his classic work on Australian artists, was. referred to me as having some knowledge of the artists who had illustrated natural history books, about which he knew very little. Among those I mentioned was Broinowski, whose sons were interviewed by Mr. Moore who prepared a large biography. After he had used it for his own work, he passed his manuscript to me and I later handed it to Mathews for preservation in his library in the National Library at Canberra. Mathews published an account, taken from this, as cited above, and therein drew attention to Broinowski’s pioneer work in nature study in schools. Broinowski painted large illustrations of birds and mammals for use in the schools. Mathews continued: ‘also issued these pictures in book form, with appropriate letterpress—a limited edition and for private circulation.” Whether Mathews saw this book edition or not he does not say, and it is not mentioned in Whittell’s “The Literature of Australian Birds,’ issued in 1954. In the Australian Museum I had noted some letterpress with a title page and paper cover, but could not find out much about it. Mr. David McPhee (of Messrs. Angus & Robertson, booksellers) has shown me a copy of the book and generously allowed me to draw up this note from the copy. It is handsomely bound in “crimson” or maroon leather, the spine and front cover lettered in gold with the words “Birds and Mammals of Australia by Gracius J. Broinowski.” The size is 14 in. by 104 in. (355 mm. by 165 mm.). The plates are lettered at the foot, but not numbered, and the heading of the text, sometimes differs in small details (to the better), and the letterpress is original and not always exact as to the distribution, as in connection with the Lyre Bird wherein it is written that it inhabits “nearly all the mountainous districts of Australia.” The subjects are given as arranged in this bound copy, beginning with The Laughing Jackass, Dacelo gigantea, a male and female being figured. The text is headed The Laughing Jackass, or Great Brown Kingfisher, Dacelo gigantea. Lyre Bird, Menura superba, a male and female. In the text heading the name “(Davies)” is added after the scientific name. Regent Bird, Sericulus chrysocephalus, male and female. Text heading the same. Rifle Bird, Ptiloris paradiseus (“Swain’s”’), two males on a branch, with a female in a hole in the tree-trunk. The text has the same heading as the plate, as have most of the rest, so differences will only be hereafter noted. The Cassowary, Casuarius bennetti Gould (spelt Goold in text heading). A male with another in the background, the birds figured in open plain country. The interest in this plate centres in the fact that the bird figured is the New Britain ‘‘Mooruk,”’ not in any way a native of Australia, but figured because the painter had seen it or a picture of it. Native Companion, Grus australasianus, one bird. In the text Gould is added. Crested Cockatoo, Cacatua galerita “Vieill.’””’ Male and female in hollow branch. In the text, Vicill. in error. Chestnut-breasted Duck, Anas punctata. Male and female. Cuv. added to scientific name in text. The Emu, Dromaius novaehollandiae. Adult and four chicks with two birds in background. 14 Semipalmated Goose, Anseriinas mélanoleuca. Male, noted as common in Victoria, sent in to the Melbourne market where they were sold at half a crown (2/6) each. The Hagle Hawk, Aquiia fugosa. One bird. The text is corrected to fucosa (Cuv.). King Lory, Aprosmictus scapulatus. Male and female. The text heading reads “The King Lory. Aprosmictus scapulatus (“Gould’’.)” White-backed Magpie, Gimmorhina leuconota. Male and female. The generic name is correctly spelt Gymnorhina in text heading. Apparently only one species was admitted, the author writes that the white-backed form occurred in the east and Tasmania, the birds of the west and north being black-backed. Wattled Plover, Lobivanellus lobatus (Goold.) Male and female. The text is headed The Masked Pewit. Lobivanellus personatus (“Gould”), but the plate legend is correct. Bronze-winged Pigeon Peristera chaicoptera (“Swain’s’’), male and female. The Brush Turkey, Talegalla lathami. A single bird. The range is given as All over Australia. Cape Otway Ranges, Gippsland, Malice Country of Victoria and Mount Lofty, South Australia, are mentioned, where this bird does not occur now. There are thus sixteen plates of birds. The mammals following are all depicted on double-size plates, folded to same size as ordinary page: The Koala or Native Bear, Phascolarctos cinereus. Female with young on back. Native Cat, Dasyurus viverrinus. Two dark and one light-coloured. The Dingo or Native Dog, Canis dingo. One figure. Grey-headed Vampire or Flying Fox, Pteropus poliocephalus. Two hanging. Australian Hedgehog, Hchidna hystrix. One adult and one young one. Great Kangaroo, Macropus major. Male and female with young in pouch. Getting scarce near towns “with wallaby skins by the thousand selling at 3d (threepence) each.” Sea Leopard, Stenorhynchus leptonyx. One animal on rock. Men- tions one taken at Shoalhaven, and a second, a female, seven feet in length, captured in October 1870, at Double Bay, near Sydney, and kept alive for several days in the Museum grounds, where it fed on grass, no other food being at hand. The Common Opossom, Phalangista vulpina. One figure. The Ring-tailed Opossum, Phalangista cooki. Two figures; cookii Desm. in text. Duck-billed Platypus, Ornithorhynchus anatinus. One dark and one light animal (young). The Sooty Phalanger, Phalangista fuliginosa. One from Tasmania. Australian Rabbit, Peragalea lagotis. One animal. Qn the next plate there are two figures: the White-bellied Beaver Rat, Hydromys leucogaster, and Golden-bellied Beaver Rat, Hydromys chrysogaster. Tasmanian Tiger, Thylacinus cynocephalus. One figure. On the following plate there are three distinct figures: Black Wallaby, Halmaturus ualabatus; Black-striped Wallaby, Halmaturus dorsalis; and Pademelon Wallaby, Halmaturus thetidis, the authorities F. Cuv. and Geoffr. added in the text. Wombat, Phascolomys wombat. One figure. The text is headed The Tasmanian Wombat and it is explained that it is smaller than the New South Wales species. There are (again) sixteen plates of mammals. 15 Referring to the Mitchell Library, Sydney, another copy was found in the same kind of binding and with the same contents, but the title-page reads: ‘‘Birds and Mammals/ of/ Australia. Issued under the Authority of the Department of Public Instruction of/ New South Wales. Drawn, Lithographed and MDescribed/ by/ Gracius J. Broinowski./ Sydney./ Printed by G. Murray, 91 Clarence Street,/ Wynyard Square.” There is no date, but inside is a dedication reading “To the Hon./ William Joseph Trickett, M.P.,/ Minister for Public Instruction of New South Wales,/ this work is/ Respectfully Dedicated, as a mark of Appreciation of his successful efforts/ in the cause of Education,/ By his faithful servant,/ G. J. Broinowski. This dedication allows the dating to be 1884-85, as Trickett was Minister from 1883 to 1885, but in the first year he was Minister for the Navy. j The copy in the Australian Museum is the letterpress only with some half dozen subjects missing but enclosed in a paper wrapper, on which is printed Birds/ and/ Mammals/ of/ Australia./ By/ Gracius J. Broinowski/ and the same printer, but again no date. Referring to the well-known Birds of Australia, Mathews recorded “Tssued in 6 parts, 1887-1891, and this has been accepted by Whittell, who cites Mathews paper in the Hmu where Mathews has stated “issued in monthly parts, each 8 plates, at 10/- each, and bound up in six volumes. Mathews continued “Although he dreamed of issuing a new book on birds at popular prices, he no longer had the energy to do more than plan the work.” Perhaps this sentence refers to a brilliant project, which did not come to fruition, but of which a prospectus was issued, and a copy preserved in the Mitchell Library. The title-page reads “Gould’s Birds of Australia. A Fac Simile Reproduction in a reduced form (compris- ing) over 1,000 figures in colour, representing 694 distinct species. Reproduced by G. J. Broinowski, Author of “The Birds of Australia,” “Birds and Mammals of Australia,’ (School Series), ‘Pigeons of Australia” &c. &c. Published in 30 Parts By ——. Printed in colours by Simmons-Bloxham Printing Company. Tri-Chromatic Blocks by Bacon & Co. Sydney 1910. Then the prospectus stated “It will be published in 30 parts of 24 subjects each, at 2/6 payable on delivery. Subscribers are requested to sign the annexed order form, otherwise successive parts cannot be guaranteed. The undersigned subscribes to G. J. Broinowski’s Reproductions of Gould’s Birds of Australia. The part attached shows two plates, each with 12 reproductions, and 12 pages of text. The illustrations are of Hawks, and are very well reproduced, and it seems a pity that the matter fell down. Broinowski, himself, died in 1913. Another intriguing item is the mention of the ‘‘“‘Pigeons of Australia” &c. &c’ as so far nothing is available concerning these. Hand-Rearing of the Scarlet Chested Parakeet (Neophema splendida ) By Mrs. FALKNER J. BLAXLAND. During the nesting season I sometimes find it necessary to take over a nestling from the parents and hand-rear it, one of the reasons being some chicks are hatched later than the others; the more advanced ones are always in the front for their food and the smaller ones are neglected and die of starvation. Sometimes they make an effort ta get food from the parents by working their way out to the front ot the nest until they eventually fall to the ground. It is 16 interesting to watch the parents coax a chick out of the nest when they don’t want it. I have put it back but it is not long before it is out again; if you are not fortunate enough to find it early the ants kill it or it dies from cold and starvation. The same set of circum- stances arises when the parents are anxious to go to nest again or if there are too many chicks in a brood. I have had a hen hatch seven eggs, all went well until their eyes were open, which happens about ten days from time of hatching, then they decided to get two chicks out of the nest. As they get older their demand for food is greater and the parents evidently feel they can’t cope with them all. A good plan is to take away the smallest and any that haven’t very much food in their crops after the last feed of the day. When I hand-rear a nestling I use a firm cardboard box for a nest, approximately 10+ in. by 34 in. and put about three-quarters of an inch of decayed wood in the bottom of it, this can be kept clean by removing the top layer and adding fresh nesting material. A piece of flannel is tied over the top of the box leaving a space of about an inch at one end. Usually the first couple of feeds are a little difficult, but the chick soon settles down and takes its food without any trouble at all, in fact, if you happen to be a little late it lets you know, and when food is being prepared it comes to the front of the box and makes a great noise. Times for feeding must be as regular as possible. On about the 30th day from time of hatching the chick becomes much more active and is difficult to keep in the box:-as it is nearing the time for it to fly. I then transfer the box with the chick to a _tray 203 in. by 144 in., including the flange which is one inch deep; this is well covered with bush sand and a little earth. One end of the box is cut and placed flat to enable the chick to come out, this gives it an interest, it has access to greens, seeded grasses, peas and pods, raw grated carrot, apple, orange, shell grit, cuttle bone, and a piece of charcoal. A wire cover 214 in. by 15 in. by 17 in. goes over the tray, half this is well covered to cope with winds and draughts; this is very necessary. One nestling I hand-reared was found on the aviary floor, its eyes were not open, it did very well and is now flying with the others in the aviary. In this case I used a much smaller box, as the chick is very tiny at this stage; for added warmth a small piece of flannel is hung down inside the box, and a piece of flannel put over the top of the box as previously mentioned. When the chick progresses and becomes well covered with down it is transferred to the larger box. I have saved many of these little gems; most of them become very tame. This gives me a great deal of pleasure. One very tame hand- reared pair hatched and reared six lovely youngsters in 1954. For feeding I have used the following formula with excellent results :— A mixture of 6 parts Hungarian Millett, 1 part Jap, 2 parts White, 2 parts plain Canary, Hulled oats, rape and linseed, 4 a part of each. A portion of this mixture is put through a coffee mill, using the fine grind; the hulls are blown off. Take a tablespoon of Farex, a dessertspoonful of full-cream pow- dered milk and a sprinkling of powdered cuttle bone. Gradually add a little warm water, stirring all the time, having a beaten up egg ready and, before all the required amount of water is added, stir in a tablespoonful of the raw egg, stir well and add a little more water if 17 necessary, making it into a porridge-like substance, but not too thin. Take a little of this mixture and add a small portion of the ground seed to it. A guide to the consistency it should be, is to have it just thick enough so that it will go through a Stern’s eye dropper. The food must be mixed freshly each day. Two drops of Halivol are added to one feed a day, and one- sixteenth of a tablet of Tab-Vita, B. Group, Nicholas, also a few drops of orange juice. Also carrot, a piece of brocolli leaf, a few green peas, all rubbed -through a sieve, together with a small portion of apple. A little of this should be added to the mixture every alternate feed. Care must be taken to wash all fruit and vegetables before giving them to birds. If a chick is weak due to lack of food I add a little Glucodin to the first few feeds. When you come to feed the bird, take a small portion of the prepared food, put it into a vessel about the size of a small coffee cup, stand this in a basin with hot water in it for a few minutes just to take the chill off. Put a little of the mixture into a Stern’s eye dropper, which must be kept perfectly clean, and should be boiled from time to time, shake it down to expel any air. Hold the bird in the left . hand, the dropper in the right hand. I do not use the rubber cap on the top of the dropper, but use the index finger to control the flow of food by pressing it down then releasing it. Tap the bird gently on the beak a few times and it will soon take the food. Care must be taken not to over-distend the crop when feeding, a little and often is the best. At first the feedings are about one and a half hours to two hourly, after a few days four hourly. If the nestling happens to be only a few days old it will need small feeds hourly until its eyes are open then about two hourly gradually increasing the interval to four hourly. If possible it is a good idea to give a feed at about 11-30; to 42 o'clock at might: : The chick gradually progresses to the stage where it can feed itself, but I still continue to hand feed, gradually reducing the number of feeds to two or three daily. Care should be taken not to get the food over the feathers, wipe off any surplus from the beak with a damp cloth, which must be kept clean, or a fresh piece used each day. A RECORD OF A HAND-REARED NESTLING Date Age Remarks 1955 in days February 21st Chick hatched. March bea 18 Found chick on aviary floor, took over and commenced hand feeding. * 15th 22 Noticed it picking at decayed wood and eating a little sand which is put in a corner of the box. i 19th 26 Commencing to eat finely ground seed. ‘t 23rd 30 Feathering rapidly and becoming much more active; trying its wings out. BS 25th 32 Kept climbing out of the box. I trans- ferred the box with the bird to a tray covered with sand; one end of the box was cut and placed flat to enable the chick to come out and use the sand- covered tray as a playground. 33 26th 33 Chick weighed, almost 14 0z., now eating seed more coarsely ground, cuttlebone and shell grit. 3 29th 36 Almost ready to fly, now sits on a perch, still goes into the box to sleep. 18 March 31st 38 Made its first flight, and tried to have a bath in a small water vessel. There were two other chicks in the same brood reared by the parents, they left the nest in the aviary on March 24th and 25th, six or seven days before the one I took over. April 1st 39 Weight 14 oz., transferred to the aviary with the parents and other two chicks during the daytime only. Feeding re- ducing to three times daily. be 5th 43 Now in aviary altogether, feeding twice a day. 4 10th 48 Weaned entirely, sleeps in the ti-tree with the rest of the family. Qn June 5th the weight was still 14 oz. and on the same date I weighed the two that were reared by the parents, their weights were 114 oz. each. I consider a hand-reared bird compares very favourably in every way with birds reared by their parents if every care and thought is given to a well balanced diet and the preparation of it. xtreme care is necessary to avoid rickets or other difficulties due to an unbalanced diet. Variation in the Australian Oriolidae By ALLEN KEAST. (Contribution from The Australian Museum, Sydney.) Two genera are today associated in the Australian Oriolidae, Oriolus and Sphecotheres, each of two species. The latter, the aberrant figbirds, differ from the orioles in their pronounced sexual dimorphism, ‘bare area on the side of the face (brightly coloured in the males), and short bills. The remarks of Pycraft (1907) that the skull of Sphecotheres does not resemble that of orioles should be noted. Detailed descriptions (and plates) of the four species, sex and age forms, can be found in the standard reference books of North (1901) and Mathews (1921 and 1926). At present it suffices to say that in each genus there is a predominantly green species (mainly eastern in distribution) and a yellow northern one, suggesting similar selective circumstances may have operated during the speciation of the two groups. The four species have a general similarity in. ecology, frequenting lush forests, and with fruit-eating tendencies reaching a peak in the short-billed Sphecotheres. All undertake nomadic movements asso- ciated with food, these probably being greatest in Oriolus sagittatus whose range extends farthest to the south. The specimens used in the present study were those in the collec- tions of the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and the Australian Museum, Sydney. Measurements were made as follows: wing—from bend to tip flattened along the rule; tail—from between the base of the central two feathers to the tip; bill—from tip to start of feathering. In listing the specimens the word “series” is used to mean five or more adults from the locality concerned. Unless other- wise stated descriptions and measurements apply only to adult males in good plumage, frayed or moulting birds being eliminated. Oriolus sagittatus Latham 1801. (Olive-backed Oriole). This species extends through the coastal forests from Derby to Cape York, and thence south to Adelaide. In places it extends inland along the riverside forests, e.g. down the Gwydir to beyond Moree, and 19 the Murrumbidgee into the Riverina. The range is probably continuous, with the possible exception of the dry country at the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria and in southern Cape York. Specimens: Adults from the Melbourne area (4), Sydney (Series), Tweed River (series), Bunya and Pine Mountains (3), Coomooboolaroo: near Rockhampton (2), Inkerman (1), Cairns (3), Cape York (1 plus 3 subadult males), Norman River (3 subadult males), Leichhardt River (2), Melville Island (3), Katherine River (2), Barton River (2), Parry’s Creek (1), Derby (1), and Oriomo River in New Guinea (2 plus 3 subadults). Apart from those listed a good series of sub- adults from the east and Northern Territory was seen. Variation: Fully-grown males are divisible into two types: adults, in which the back is bright green, and subadults whose backs are dull grey-green with dark longitudinal markings. The latter plumage may apparently be retained until the first breeding season, since there are southern birds collected during October in it. There are corres- ponding female plumages to the male. Intra-population variability is chiefly in the degree of development of yellowish-green colouring on the throat and breast. Geographical variation expresses itself in the production of three types: (a) Adelaide to Cairns in the east (sagittatus sagittatus). (b) Derby in the northwest to as far east as the Leichhardt and Norman Rivers, Gulf of Carpentaria (affinis). This form is distin- guished by narrower longitudinal black markings on the ventral surface, a cream or buff-coloured breast instead of white, and by marked reduction in the white tipping of the tail feathers. North (1901) illustrates this tail. Subadult males can readily be distinguished from those of the east on breast markings (narrower and not so definite), tail tip, and on their lighter colouring above, i.e. light grey or grey-green instead of mid-grey with greenish suffusion. Normanton subadults are of this type. (c) Southern New Guinea from Oriomo to the Merauke district (magnirostris). These birds were separated racially by Van Oordt (191¢) on account of their large bills. My material confirms this and also indicates that the Cape York birds belong to the New Guinea group. A single adult male from the Oriomo River, New Guinea, has a bill 28.4 mm. in length, one from Cape York 29.4 mm., whilst those from farther south (though distinctly variable) do not approach this size. Three Cairns males vary from 25.0-26.2 mm. (mean 25.5 mm.) which is also about the average of birds from farther south (although occasional individuals with bills as long as 27.5 mm. do occur). Three subadult males from the Oriomo River, New Guinea, vary from 25.7 to 27.8 mm. (mean 26.8 mm.) and three from Cape York between 27.0 and 28.0 mm. (mean 27.4 mm.). These help confirm magnirostris. The single adult male from the Oriomo River has the breast markings of the eastern type, shows a reduction in white tail-tipping, but differs in being darker dorsally (best seen on the wings which are greenish-brown instead of grey), and has a faint greenish or yellowish suffusion ventrally. A lone Cape York adult male is similar in colouring. The darker dorsal colouring is apparently not character- istic of New Guinea birds generally for Van Oort (1910) states that Merauke birds are a little paler above than Australian birds. Oriomo subadults are greener dorsally than those from eastern Australia, have heavier breast-markings, and cream-coloured instead of white breasts. The relationships of the Cape York birds are obviously with New Guinea but, as would be expected from their geographical position, they have characters linking the three forms. New Guinea characters are the long bill and apparently a general similarity in coloration in 20 the case of the adults (although sagittatus and magnirostris are not very different in coloration). Subadult males from Cape York, how- ever, resemble those from the southeast. Only in reduced tail-tipping do the Cape York birds incline towards the northwestern type. Specimens from the southwest of the Peninsula would, however, be worth seeing, if the species occurs there. Wing and tail measurements of adult males in good plumage froin various localities are set out below. The number in brackets is the size of the sample. Locatlity Wing Length (mm.) Tail Length (mm.) Melbourne (4) es af 155-165 (159) 101-108 (105) Sydney (4) .. Bf oe 157-161 (159) 104-111 (108) Tweed Riv. (4) rr ie 150-154 (152) 101-109 (104) Bunya Mtns. (2) ae: m 15 OPTS CES) OW 105" EL03) Cairns (3) es Eds ub 146-152 (149) 102-103 (103) Cape York (1) : 153 99 Oriomo Riv., New Guinea (1) ? 92 Metville Island C2h.Se J 146, 150 (148) 96-101 (98) Parry’s Creek (northwestern Australia)\"(1) .. a? 149 He Derby (1) - 148 95 Adult material from Cape York, New Guinea, and the northwest, is inadequate. Measurements of subadult males from the first two areas are, however, as follows: Locatlity Wing Length (mm.) Tail Length (mm.) Cape York (3) ae +. 144-152 (147) 97-102 (100) Oriomo Riv., New Guinea (3) 141-143 (142) 91-97 (94) From the small samples it will be seen that northern birds have both shorter wings and shorter tails than southern birds and the changeover is clinal. Oriolus flavocinctus King 1826. (Yellow Oriole). This species ranges along the north coast from the Kimberleys to the southern limit of the rain forests north of Townsville. It is also on the Aru Islands and southern New Guinea. The habitat of the species in Australia is stated as being large riverside trees, monsoon and rain forests. Probably it is somewhat separated ecologically from O. sagittatus, where the ranges of the two overlap, by the latter keeping to the more open forests. Specimens: Cairns (series), Cooktown (3), Cape York (large series), Melville Island (series), coastal Northern Territory including the Alligator, Daly, and Mary Rivers (series), Parry’s Creek (3), Aru Islands (3), Letti and Romah Islands (3). Variation: There is also a subadult plumage in this species, the back being more heavily blotched with black than in the adults, and they are yellower and more heavily streaked ventrally. O. flavocinctus is variable, both individually and geographically, mainly in the degree of yellowness. Cape York birds are the richest in colour, birds from the Cairns rain forests slightly less so. Three Cooktown birds, from the more open forest area in between are pale and similar to the typical bird from the Northern Territory. Some individuals in the latter series are, however, as bright as the duller Cairns birds so that there is no consistency. Some birds from the Northern Territory lack the fine black ventral striations but others have this character. Aru, Letti, and Romah Island birds, from beyond the continent, approach the coloration of the Cairns birds. There may be a correlation between the intensity of the yellow in this species and the humidity of its forest habitat. The colouring is richest in the samples from the two rain-forest areas (Cape York and Cairns) and pale in places where the rainfall is less and the 21 forest open. A detailed study of the underlying factors is, however, needed for food could be involved and (since there is variation within populations) age or fading may be of importance. There does not appear to be any significant size-variation in the Australian populations of O. flavocinctus. Sphecotheres vieilloti Vigors and Horsfield 1827. (Southern Figbird). Coastal forests (particularly scrubs with fruit-bearing trees) from southeastern New Guinea (Port Moresby area) south to Sydney con- stitute the range of this species, Specimens: Richmond and Tweed Rivers (series), Brisbane (2), Burnett River (2), Coomooboolaroo near Rockhampton (4), Townsville (3), [? Cairns (1)], Port Moresby (3). Variation: Males fall into two colour types. In the southern form the back, lower breast, and anterior abdomen, are dark olive green. In the northern form the grey of the nape and ventral surface is much lighter, the green of the back is lighter and brighter, the green of the chest is lighter and merges into yellow and cream on the lower abdomen. The females are also distinct, those of the northern type being greenish on the back and having a greenish-yellow wash through the abdomen. The first type occurs without variation in New South Wales, Brisbane, on the Burnett River, and at Rockhampton. (A bird in the American Museum from “Cairns” is of this type but is probably wrongly labelled). Specimens labelled Townsville are of the northern type and differ from the Port Moresby birds only in that the grey of the throat is a shade darker in the latter. A south-north cline of decreasing wing-length is suggested by the following adult males: Richmond River (7), 157-163 mm. (mean 159 mm.); Brisbane (1), 158 mm.; Burnett River (1), 162 mm.; Rock- hampton (4), 151-158 mm. (154 mm.); Townsville (2), each 152 mm.; Port Moresby (2), 148, 150 mm. (149 mm.). Material from Townsville northward is necessary before the figbirds of North Queensland can be understood. Sphecotheres flaviventris Gould 1849. (Yellow Fighbird). This species ranges from about the Alligator River and Melville Island in the northwest along the coast to about Townsville, where it is recorded as rare by Hopkins (1948). The range is possibly broken at the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria as it is essentially a form of the jungles and monsoon forests. Specimens: Alligator River, McKinley River, Hermit Hill, coastal Northern Territory (series), Melville Island (series), Cape York (series), Cooktown (3), Cairns (series). Four birds were also seen from the Little Kei Islands, north of Australia. Variation: There is no significant size or colour variation in this species in Australia. Specimens from the Kei Islands, however, tend to be a richer yellow in coloration (race cucullata Rosenberg 1867). SPECIATION IN THE ORIOLIDAE. Of the four species one, Sphecotheres flaviventris, does not vary geographically. A second, Oriolus flavocinctus, is a plastic species and its body tones apparently changed rapidly in clinal fashion. 8S. vieilloti has a latitudinal size-cline and two plumage types (former isolates ?), the relationship of which cannot be stated at present. O. sagittatus has two morphologically distinct isolates. It is generally recognised that speciation takes place by the follow- ing steps: (a) The geographical isolation of part of the stock, so that interbreeding with the main population can no longer occur, (b) Such isolation must continue long enough for physiological, 22 morphological, and behavioural, differences to be built up so that (c) The new form eventually becomes incapable of successfully interbreeding with the parental type. (In the ideal case this is proven by resumption of contact.) It may well be, or course, that premature bridging or breakdown of the barrier will occur and the process not reach completion. This is undoubtedly a most frequent occurrence on continents and it may well happen in the case of O. sagittatus. Isolated forms, especially those that have differentiated, can be said to have the “potential” of developing into new species. It 1s important to know the number of forms in a fauna that are in this position. It is also fundamental to analyse and understand the barriers, especially under continental conditions, that initiate the separation and subsequently keep isolates apart. Oriolus sagittatus has three forms, an eastern, a northwestern, and a Cape York-New Guinea one. Each is distinct morphologically and has undoubtedly developed under conditions of: isolation. Two of them then could be said to have reached the second stage and be potentially new species. What barriers have been involved? The distribution of the forms today indicates that these are or were (a) landward of the Gulf of Carpentaria, (b) southern Cape York and (c) between Cape York and New Guinea (i.e. the water barrier of Torres Strait). The first two correspond to areas of dry, open, savannah woodland of low rainfall. The former, it can be inferred from the rainfall maps, is a tongue of semi-arid country that extends through the interior to the shores of the western side of the Gulf. What are the ecological requirements of O. sagittatus? These are known in general terms. It is restricted to the damper coastal and riverside forests. Fruits (native and introduced) are prominent in the diet and these only reach abundance in the well watered areas. A certain density of trees is required, particularly during the breeding season, for arboreal insects form the food of the young. These condi- tions are certainly not met in the dry savannahs of the Gulf (except along some of the rivers), nor in southern Cape York. See WhCrAs Ou (1935) for descriptions of vegetation of the Peninsula. O. s. affinis must have been cut off in the Northern Territory and differentiated at a time of greater aridity when the dry zone was both more extensive and conditions more severe. Subsequently, with a general improvement in conditions, it has moved eastwards across the head of the Gulf. There is a reason for this form’s, rather than the eastern sagittatus, having occupied this area. The northwestern forests are drier, because the summer rainfall is less effective than those of the east, hence the inhabitants have had ‘to adapt to dry condi- tions. This has stood them in good stead when a general improvement in climate occurred and it is they that have been able to move out across the continent. There are many instances of this in Aus- tralian birds. The northern form, magnirostris, could have differentiated in northern Cape York, isolated from the south by dry country, and thence colonised New Guinea. Again, it could have arisen in New Guinea under the protection of Torres Strait, and subsequently have reinvaded Cape York. A third possibility, that it developed simul- taneously in both areas under the influence of similar selective forces (e.g. a particular food) cannot be ignored. The pattern of isolation in O. sagittatus is found in many ae tralian birds. Perhaps two dozen genera have distinctive forms (either species or “races’’) on each side of the Gulf of Carpentaria. Examples are: Geophaps (smithi and scripta), Platycercus (venustus and adscitus), Philemon (gordoni and yorki), and Malurus (dulcis and amabilis). It is very common for the stock of a species at the head 23 of the Gulf to be of the northwestern type, examples being Rhipidura rufifrons Malurus melanocephalus, and WNeositta (chrysoptera) leucoptera. So far as Cape York birds are concerned they may fall into a number of categories. Included in these are: (a) New Guinea type and distinct from those of the rest of Australia including the Cairns area (Megaloprepia magnifica, Neochmia phaeton, Meliphaga gracilis, and others). (b) Australian type and distinct from that of New Guinea, (Microeca fascinans, Gerygone olivacea, Geopelia striata). (c) Morphologically intermediate between an Australian form (including populations from Cairns) and a New Guinea one, e.g. Halcyon macleayi, or a northwestern and an eastern form, as in Myigra rubecula and Halcyon macleayi. It will thus be seen that in some instances the dry country at the base of the Peninsula has been a barrier, in others Torres Strait, in others both (and, of course, in many forms neither). Speciation in the Australian Oriolidae may be summed up by saying that in one species has the process been initiated. This has two isolates, so that the group as a whole averages 0.5 potential species per existing species. The pattern of geographical breakup in QO. sagittatus and the barriers involved are shared by a number of unrelated birds. NOMENCLATURE. Oriolus sagittatus: The forms sagittatus sagittatus, s. affinis, and S. magnirostris, are good. I agree with Mathews (1931) that the described forms “subaffinis” from Cooktown and “blaauwi’ from Napier Broome Bay should be reduced to synonomy. Oriolus flavocincta: There is the alternative here of naming three or four poorly-defined forms or only recognising one. I support Mathews’ decision of 1931 to group them all together. It should be noted, however, that Mack (1953), after examining the recently- collected Archbold material from Cape York has grouped all north- eastern birds as one subspecies and the northwestern stock as a second. In view of the remarks of Van Oordt (1910) and the plasticity of the species, the New Guinea form mulleri Bonaparte, 1851, would appear to be doubtfully worthy of racial status. sphecotheres vieilloti: The southern form is the nominate, the name vieilloti originally having been given to birds from Keppel Bay near Rockhampton. The evidence suggests that the New Guinea form extends south to about Townsville, hence the northern form would take the name sdalvadorii Sharpe 1877. There has long been debate as to the status of the form ‘‘stalkeri” Ingram, 1908, from Mount Elliott near Townsville. Mathews (1921) considered it to be a mislabelled New Guinea bird. I agree with his views as to its relationships. Only new collections can now prove or disprove that the New Guinea form extends to Townsville. The name salvadorivii antedates stalkeri. Further material could, however, lead to both being recognised. New South Wales birds are not sufficiently distinct from those of the Rockhampton area to deserve a separate name, hence “canicollis” of Swainson 1837 becomes a synonym. The form “boweri” Mathews 1916 from Cairns is apparently not sufficiently distinct to warrant the name. The only bird I have seen from there may, however, be wrongly labelled so that the matter must be held in abeyance. Sphecotheres flaviventris: This species is relatively homogeneous and no forms should be recognised in Australia, 24 REFERENCES. Hopkins, N. (1948).—‘“The Birds of Townsville and District.” The Emu, 47, p. 331. Mack, G. (1953).—‘“Birds from Cape York Peninsula, Queensland.” Mem. Queensland Museum, 13, part 1, p. 1. Mathews, G. M. (1921)—The Birds of Australia, London, 9, p. 169. Mathews, G. M. (1926).—ibid., 12, p. 266. Mathews, G. M. (1931).—A List of the Birds of Australia. London. North, A. J. (1901)—wNests and Eggs of Birds Found Breeding in Australia and Tasmania. Sydney, 1, p. 278. Oordt, E. D. Van (191¢).—WNotes from the Leiden Museum, 32, p. 82. Pycrait, W. P. (1907).—‘“Contributions to the Osteology of Birds Part Pee Toc. Zool. Soc. Lond. Part 1, p. 376. Thomson, D. F. (1935).—Birds of Cape York Peninsula. Government Printer, Melbourne. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. I should like to express my thanks to the administrators of the Frank M. Chapman Fund, American Museum of Natural History, New York, and to Harvard University, for research grants to enable me to work on the Australian bird-collections at the former institution. The present is the first of a series of papers embodying the results of that work. I wish also to acknowledge the encouragement of Dr. Ernst Mayr, under whom I worked in the U.S., and to thank Mr. Tom Iredale for suggestions with respect to this paper. Variation in the Genus Megalurus By ALLEN KEAST. (Contribution from The Australian Museum.) Of the two Australian grass-birds the smaller, Megalurus gramineus, is southern and eastern in distribution and the larger, M. timoriensis, mainly northern. The former is a common bird of the swamps and offshore islands, the latter primarily an inhabitant of the rank grasses and reeds adjoining streams. There is some evidence that the two species tend to occupy different habitats where their ranges overlap (Hindwood, 1947). Both species are drab-coloured. M. gramineus is ochraceous-brown to olive-brown above with pro- nounced black longitudinal striations and (typically) faint flecking on the breast. The dorsal surface of M. timoriensis is suffused with rust or tawny and there is marked reduction in the black markings. The top of the head and lower back are chestnut brown and the ventral surface is plain. Sexual and age differences are insignificant in Megalurus (see Mathews, 1921-1922, for plates and descriptions). Megalurus timoriensis Wallace 1863. (Tawny Grassbird). The Australian range of this species extends around the north coast from Broome to Cape York, and thence south to Sydney. It is generally regarded as stationary but there is some evidence of seasonai movements (Lord, 1955). The species has a wide range in the islands to the north of Australia. Geographic Variation: I can find no significant colour variation in specimens from anywhere in Australia. Specimens have been seen from the following localities: Broome, Napier Broome Bay, Eureka, Adelaide River, Alligator River, Melville Island, Normanton, Pinkanya and Claudie River (Cape York), Bartle Frere, Port Denison, Wide Bay, Tweed River, Richmond River. Since most of these areas are rep- resented by single or a couple of specimens it is not possible to 25 adequately coémpare size. No geographié differences are, hdwevei, indicated, wing lengths of males varying from 62 mm. to 68 mm. without geographical correlation. Thus, there are individuals from as far apart as Adelaide River, Cape York, and Richmond River, with wings measuring 65 mm. As many as five Australian populations of M. timoriensis originally received names. By 1931, however, Mathews had reduced them to two, the Melville Island population being singled out (“flanks more rufous and smaller’). H. G. Deignan, in his unpublished report on the birds collected during the 1948 Arnhem Land Expedition kindly loaned to me, has stressed the rapidity of wear in this species and Suggests that most of the characters credited to races may have been due to this. His additional Northern Territory material indicated that “melvillensis” Mathews is untenable. I am in agreement with this and his views that no Australian races should be recognised. The Australian bird, Megalurus timoriensis alisteri, is only racially distinct from the Timor torm. Mayr (1944) has suggested that the species may have originated in Australia and subsequently have reinvaded the islands to the north. Its lack of variation in Australia suggests, however, a comparatively recent extension of range. Again, variation may be kept down by a certain amount of nomadism asso- ciated with seasonal conditions. Megalurus gramineus Gould 1845. (Little Grassbird). This species is an inhabitant of the reed-beds and swamps of southern Australia (coastal and inland) and Tasmania. It also fre- quents the low herbage of offshore islands. Little is known of the Queensland range but there is a field record (based on the call) for the Cairns area and evidence that it is common in the south of the State (see Hindwood, 1950, for details). No speci- mens have, however, been taken. Remarkably enough, a specimen has recently been collected in the Wissel Lake district of New Guinea (Junge, 1952), extending the apparent range by some 2,000 miles. This infers that the species occurs, or formerly occurred, in Northern Australia. The range of the species in the south is broken by Bass Strait, and by the arid Nullarbor country between Eyre Peninsula, the western range limit in South Australia (Terrill and Rix, 1950), and Hopetoun in the southwest (Serventy and Whittell, 1951). The tendency of M. gramineus to keep low down in the under- growth and its secretive habits have led to it being considered a poor flyer. This belief has been encouraged by such observations as those of Bennett (1904) who stated: “. . . so feeble are their powers of flight that, if driven on to the plain, they can be easily caught, for they cannot fly more than a short distance at a time and so slowly that a man on foot can overtake them.’ There are, however, many records of the species on temporary Swamps far in the interior of the centinent. White (1922) and Whitlock (1924) have recorded them in Central Australia, the latter collecting a specimen. Terrill and Rix record them on the Diamentina and Cooper’s Creek. Bennett states that they are plentiful when the swamps are full but absent at other times in the Mossgiel district of western New South Wales. Boehm (1953) records two birds suddenly appearing at Sutherlands, South Australia, in September, 1951. They were obviously striking across unfavourable country in search of new territory as the nearest suitable habitat (Murray and Light Rivers) was 25 miles away. Boehm suggests, however, that the birds could have come from Central Australia as a severe drought was in progress there and Reed Warblers and Cisticolas were being driven out. M. Schrader (personal communica- tion) informs me that about Cunnamulla, southwest Queensland, grassbirds are temporary inhabitants of the transient cane-grass 26 swamps but permanent residents where there is continuous water, such as about some of the bore-heads and permanent lakes. There appears no doubt that Megalurus, like so many other Aus- tralian swamp birds, is able to fly long distances to exploit favourable habitats when occasion demands. It is also a temporary resident on some of the offshore islands, being present on some occasions but not others—e.g. Five Islands a mile off the New South Wales coast (Keast, 1943, and subsequent observations). In such cases, however, the flying distance is small. Geographic Variation: There is much individual variation in this species. Three geographical types are recognisable: (1) Eastern and southeastern Australia (series of specimens from coastal South Australia, Kangaroo Island, Melbourne, and Sydney). This form should take the name goulburni Mathews 1912 (line priority). (2) Southwestern Australia (thomasi Mathews 1912). This form is darker above, both in ground colour and in the striations being darker and heavier. Ventral striations, although developed to a variable extent, are present in ail these birds, whereas in eastern and southeastern birds they are frequently faint or lacking altogether. Specimens were seen from Lake Muir, Wilsons Inlet, Albany, Warren River, Coogee Lake, Lake Yanchep. ‘ (3) Tasmania (gramineus). These birds closely resemble those from the southwest but are distinctly darker ventrally (greyish-buff). Odd southwestern and Victorian—New South Wales birds are, however, as dark ventrally as Tasmanian birds. Wing measurements of adult males (taken from angle of wing to tip of primaries straightened along a rule) are set out below, the first number in brackets representing the size of the sample: Adelaide (4), 59-61 mm. (mean 60 mm.); Kangaroo Island (3), 59-60 mm. (59 mm.); Melbourne (4), 56-60 mm. (mean 58 mm.); Sydney (4), 57-59 mm. (58 mm.); southwestern Australia (8), 53-58 mm. (55 mm.); Launceston, Tasmania (4), 53-57 mm. (55 mm.). It will be seen that birds from the southwest and Tasmania average smallest. Tasmanian birds (on the small series available) would appear to have shorter bills than those from elsewhere (measurement taken from tip to start of feathering). Comparative measurements are: Launceston, Tas- manian, 8.3-8.7 mm. (mean 8.6 mm.); southwestern Australia, 8.8-9.3 mm. (9.0 mm.); Adelaide, 8.9-9.1 mm. (9.0 mm.); Melbourne, 8.7-9.1 mm. (8.9 mm.); Sydney, 8.7-9.2 mm. (9.0 mm.). No specimens were available for examination from the northern range limits in Western Australia (Shark’s Bay), Queensland, or New Guinea. Races of Megalurus gramineus have been described as follows: Lake Yanchep, southwestern Australia (milligani Mathews, 1921); Lake Muir, southwestern Australia (thomasi Mathews, 1912); Mannum, South Australia (dubius Mathews, 1912); Kangaroo Island (halma- turinus Mathews, 1912); Western Port, Victoria (wilsoni Mathews, 1912); Flinders Island, Bass Strait (flindersi White and Mellor, 1913); Goulburn, New South Wales (goulburni Mathews, 1912). Of these “dubius” was subsequently reduced to synonymy by the author. The forms dubius, wilsoni, and goulburni, were said to be characterized by the tones of their dorsal surface. The form dubius was stated to be “more streaked on the throat” and halmaturinus to have “the dark shafts of the feathers of the head not so pronounced.” I have seen the type specimens of goulburni, dubius, wilsoni, and halmaturinus, and find them (now that better series are available) to be representative of individual rather than geographic types. The type of thomasi was also seen and I consider the birds from Lake Yanchep (type locality of milligani) not to be sufficiently distinct from it to warrant a second race in the southwest. Milligan (1903) 27 St¥esses the distinctiveness of the latter. Larger collections now available, however, show that the characters credited to them are accounted for by individual variation. This applies to the general colouring (‘“‘dullish lustreless smoky-brown’’) and ventral striations are as well developed in some birds from other parts of the southwest, e.g. Warren River and Albany. The only adult male available from Yanchep has a wing-length of 53 mm. which is small but not less than in two males from Lake Muir and one from Coogee Lake. The Yanchep population could be somewhat isolated, but this seems unlikely. The type of flindersi (Flinders Island) has not been seen by me but the description leaves little doubt that it is the same as a typical Tasmanian, or one of the darker Victorian, birds. The New Guinea form, papuensis, was described by Junge as being . nearest to milligani ... it differs, however, in having much more rusty brown upper parts, especially the front and the rump. It lacks the black streaks on the front.’ Although known only from a female it is doubtless quite distinct. Megalurus gramineus has at least three morphologically differen- tiated forms. that are complete (or near) isolates. The southwestern birds are certainly not in contact with the eastern stocks today but some Tasmanian individuals may reach the mainland. The New Guinea stock is undoubtedly completely isolated. REFERENCES. Bennett, K. H. (1904).—Quoted in North, A. J., Nests and Eggs of Birds Found Breeding in Australia and Tasmania, Sydney, 1, p. 256. Boehm, EH. F. (1953).—‘‘Little Grass-birds in Strange Surroundings,” The Hit, 5s. py 20. Hindwood, K. A. (1947).—‘“‘The Tawny Grass-bird,” ibid., 47, p. 29. Hindwood, K.A. (1950).—‘“The Little Grass-bird in Queensland,” ibid., a(S TOR aire Junge, G. C. A. (1952).—‘‘New Subspecies of Birds from New Guinea,”’ Zool. Meded., 31, p. 247. Keast, J. A. (1943).—“‘Birds of the Five Islands,’ The Emu, 42, p. 133. Lord, E. A. R. (1956).—‘‘The Birds of the Murphy’s Creek District, Southern Queensland,” ibid., 56 (in press). Mathews, G. M. (1922).—The Birds of Australia, 9, p. 375. Mathews, G. M. (1931).—Corrections and Additions to A List of the Birds of Australia, London, p. 471. Mayr, E. (1944).—‘“Timor and the Colonization of Australia by Birds,” The Emu, 44, p. 118. Milligan, A. W. (1903).—‘‘Descriptions of a new Calamanthus and a new Megalurus from Western Australia,” ibid., 2, p .200. Serventy, D. L. and Whittell, H. M. (1951).—A Handbook of the Birds of Western Australia, Perth, p. 307. Terrill, S. E. and Rix, C. E. (1950).—‘“The Birds of South Australia their Distribution and Habitat,’ The South Aust. Ornith., 19, p. 89. White, S. A. (1922) in Mathews’ The Birds of Australia, 9, p. 381. Whitlock, F. L. (1924).—‘“‘Journey to Central Australia in Search of the Night Parrot,’ The Emu, 23, p. 268. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. I should like to express my thanks to the American Museum of Natural History, New York, and the Australian Museum, Sydney, for the loan of specimens. 6é 28 The Status of Denisonia maculata Steindachner and Related Species (Ophidia: Elapidae) By Roy D. MAckKay. The purpose of this paper is to give reasons why Denisonia muelleri Fischer should be regarded as a synonym of Denisonia maculata Steindachner and to present information on the status of Denisonia maculata Steindachner, Denisonia maculata var. devisi Waite and Longman and Denisonia fasciata Rosen. Full synonymy, general diagnostic characters and significant meristic characters for each species follow. ' Family ELAPIDAE. Genus DENISONIA Krefft, 1869. Denisonia Krefft, 1869, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond. 321. Haplotype, D. ornata Krefft. ORNAMENTED SNAKE. Denisonia maculata (Steindachner). Hoplocephalus maculatus Steindachner, 1867, Reise der Novara, Woolies. Sl, pl. ili, igs. 3-5; Gunther, 1867, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (3) xx: 53; Gunther, 1876, Journ. Mus. Godeff. xii: 46; Macleay, 1884, Proce. inn. Soc. N'S.W., ix, 3: 15. Denisonia ornata Krefft, 1869, Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 2: 321, fig. 7; Krefft 1869, Snakes of Aust., p. 82, pl. xi, fig. 4. Hoplocephalus mueileri Fischer, 1885, Jahrbr. Wiss. Anst. Hamb. 22 109. . Denisonia muelleri Boulenger, 1896, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., 3: 337. Waite, 1898, Aust. Snakes, p. 85; Werner, 1923, Arch. fur Naturg. 89: 174-5; Kinghorn, 1929, Snakes of Aust., 48 and 187; Kinghorn, 1939, Rec. Aust. Mus. xx, 4: 259, figs. 3-5; Hunt, 1947, Victorian Naturalist, 64, 8: 164. Denisonia maculata Boulenger, 1896, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus. 3: 341: Waite, 1898, Aust. Snakes, p. 57; Waite and Longman, 1920, Rec. Seas Mus. to: 177%, pl. xxvii, fig. I and text-fig. 35; Kinghorn, izieeree Aust. Mus. xiii, 4: 147, figs. 1-5: Werner, 1923, Arch. fur Nature. 89: 174-5; Kinghorn, 1929, Snakes of Aust. 49 and. 171; loveridgse, 1934, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Mass., U.S.A., 77, 6: 287; Hunt, 1947, Vict. Nat. 64, 8: 162; Worrell, 1952, Dangerous Snakes of Aust., p. 46; Mack and Gunn, 1953, Mem. Qld. Mus. 13, 1: 64. The type specimen is believed to be in the Natural History Museum in Vienna, Austria. Scalation: Rostral broader .than deep, visible from above; inter- nasals slightly shorter than, to half the length of the prefrontals, which are as long as broad. Frontal once and one fourth to two and three fourths as long as broad; as long as or slightly longer than its distance from the end of the snout, shorter than the parietals. Nasal entire (Krefft's type of D. ornata possessed a divided nasal—noted by Gunther), in contact with the single preocular. Two postoculars. Temporals usually 2:2 but may be 1:2 or 2:3. Six supralabials, third and fourth entering the eye. Anterior chin-shields may be slightly longer or shorter than the posterior. Scales in 17 rows. Anal single. Ventrals 118 to 139 (Average: males 123, females 129). Subcaudals 20 to 28 (Average: males 26; females 22). Size: Largest specimen 424 mm., including the tail 46 mm. Colour: Grey or brown dorsally, each scale darker at the tip. Ventrals off-white with one or two dark spots at the lateral edges. Dorsal surface of head and forepart of neck black, sometimes edged on the posterior border with yellow or pinkish marks. Sides of head 29 Left: The Ornamented Snake (Denisonia maculata). Right: De Vis’ Banded Snake (Denisonia devisi). R. Mackay del. 30 Slightly mottled, reminiscent of that seeii in the Death Adder (Acdn- thophis antarcticus). See fig. Distribution: This species appears to be confined to a very small region near Rockhampton, Queensland, i.e. within 120 miles radius from Rockhampton and including the Dawson River valley. Steindachner’s type-description of D. maculata gives the locality as New South Wales. In 1867 Queensland was a comparatively new State and was still referred to as the northern part of New South Wales. As no further details of the type locality are given and as no other specimens have been received outside of the above area it may be assumed that the type specimens could have come from near Rockhampton. Kinghorn is in error in stating that the type specimens were collected by Steindachner as he was not on the “Novara” expedition (see Gans, 1955, Ann. Carneg. Mus. 33:275-285). Discussion: After examining the type-description, all subsequent descriptions and a specimen in the Australian Museum collection (No. R12332) of Denisonia muelleri Fischer, I have no hesitation in placing this species in the synonymy of Denisonia maculata. Mr. J. R. Slevin, of the California Academy of Sciences, U.S.A., gave me details of four specimens of D. muelleri which he coilected at Coomooboolaroo, about eighty miles west of Rockhampton, in 1937. These specimens are also referable to D. maculata. : Denisonia muelleri was differentiated from D. maculata in different keys on the following characters:—1, the presence in D. muelleri of yellow marks on the neck; 2, the length of the frontal in relation to its distance from the end of the snout; 3, the number of ventrals; 4, the relationship between the width of the frontal to the width of the supraocular. 5, the size of the frontal. The series of eleven speci- mens of D. maculata examined shows that the above distinguishing characters of D. muelleri are normal variations found in D. maculatd. Colour and pattern are also identical. Controlled experiments have been carried out on the venom of this species at the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories in Melbourne. For details see Kellaway (1934). DE VIS’ BANDED SNAKE. Denisonia devisi Waite and Longman. Denisonia maculata var. devisi Waite and Longman, 1920, Rec. S. Aust Mus. 1, 3: 178, pl. xxvii, fig. 2, and text-fig. 36. Hoplocephalus ornatus De Vis, 1884, Proc. Roy. Soc. Qld., i: 100, pl. xv.; Boulenger, 1896, Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., iii, p. 341. Name anticipated by Denisonia ornata Krefit, 1869. Denisonia maculata var. devisi Kinghorn, 1921, Rec. Aust. Mus. Xiii, 4: 148, pl. xxvi, figs. 4-5, text-figs. 6-8; Werner, 1923, Arch. fur Naturg., 89: 174-5; Loveridge, 1934, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., Mass., U.S.A., Ixxvii, 6: 287; Mack and Gunn, 1953, Mem. Qld. Mus., 13, 1: 64. . Denisonia maculata var devisii Kinghorn, 1929, Snakes of Aust., op. 49 and 172; Kinzhorn, 1931, Rec. Aust. Mus., xviii, 3: 86; Hunt, 1947, Vict. Nat., 64, 8: 162. The type specimen of Hoplocephalus ornatus De Vis, is in the Queensland Museum, No. J199. Scalation: Similar to D. maculata Stein. Except that the much larger series of fifty specimens examined showed a greater range of variation in the meristic characters, as follows:— Scales in 17 rows. Anal single. Ventrals 118 to 140 (Average: males 128, females 130). Subcaudals 23 to 38 (Average: males 30, females 28). Size: Largest specimen 568 mm. including tail 78 mm. Colour: The ground-colour is yellow to pale brown banded dorsally and laterally with irregular narrow dark brown crossbars from forty to seventy in number. The ventral surface is yellow or cream coloured. 31 The head is mottled with brown and yellow but in most cases the general outline of the large black patch, seen in D. maculata, can be detected. Distribution: Found in Queensland and New South Wales, west of the Great Dividing Range: from Hughenden, Queensland, in the north to Rylestone, N.S.W., in the south; it is found as far west as Winton in Queensland and Bourke in New South Wales. ~ Discussion: Much confusion regarding the status of Denisonia maculata and Denisonia maculata var. devisi has been caused by the similarity of the scalation. The author, after examining over sixty specimens, found this same similarity. However, as the pattern, colour and distribution are so distinct and are without intergrades and as there is likely to be variation within devisi because of its wide distribu- tion the author feels justified in giving devisi full specific rank. Kinghorn (1931), noted a specimen of this snake with 19 rows of scales round the body instead of 17, otherwise it is typical. Earlier (1921), he discussed several abnormalities found in this species. A surprising feature of this snake is its resemblance to the Death Adder (Acanthophis antarcticus) in marking and general build, par- ticularly when it flattens its body to the ground if disturbed. ROSEN’S SNAKE. Denisonia fasciata Rosen. Denisonia fasciata Rosen, 1905, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (7), xv, 86: 179; Werner, 1923, Arch. fur Naturg., 89: 174-5; Loveridge, 1934, Bull. Mus. Comp. Zool., ixxvii, 6: 287; Glauert, 1950, Snakes of W. Aust., p. 31; Mack and Gunn, 1953, Mem. Qld. Mus., 13, 1: 65. Denisonia maculata var. fasciata Kinghorn, 1929, Snakes of Aust., pp. 49 and 173; Hunt, 1947,, Key to Aust. Snakes, Vict. Nat., 64, 8: 162. The type specimen is in the Museum of Lund, Sweden. Scalation: Rostral broader than deep, visible from above. Inter- nasals shorter than the prefrontals. Frontal once and one fourth to once and one half times as long as broad, shorter than its distance from the rostral, shorter than the parietals, much broader than the supraoculars. Nasal entire, usually in contact with the single preocular. Two postoculars. Temporals usually 2:2 but may be 2:1. Six supra- labials, the third and fourth entering the eye. Scales in 17 rows. Anal single. Ventrals 150 to 167. Subcaudals 21 to 31. Size: At least 782 mm. Colour: (after Glauert) “Buff with dark blotches and streaks on the head shields, a dark streak above the pale upper lip from the snout through the eye to the neck, numerous (60 to 100) irregular dark brown crossbands on the body and tail, under surface pale yellowish or creamy-white.”’ Distribution: Found from the De Grey River in the north (20° S) to Bruce Rock in the south and eastward to Kalgoorlie, Malcolm and Laverton, Western Australia. Discussion: Apparently little is known of this snake though there are several specimens in the collection of the Western Australian Museum. DENTITION. Examination of the dentition of these three species shows that all the teeth in the upper jaw are arranged in pairs and apparently only one tooth in each pair is normally functional. It appears that in the adults, all three species possess three functional teeth or up to six teeth, some of which are replacement teeth, on the palatine. Similarly there are nine functional pterygoid teeth. The number of maxillary teeth appears to vary with age. All the juvenile specimens 32 examined possessed only one or two functional maxillary teeth, or three to four mixed. The fully adult specimens usually possessed three functional teeth behind the fang. Whether the replacement teeth were in evidence or not the sockets for the teeth could still be seen. For details of the regeneration of teeth and fangs in snakes see Bogert (1943). KEY TO THE SPECIES. Seales in 17 rows. Black patch on head, no crossbands on body, found east of the Great Dividing Range near Rockhampton, Qld., Denisonia maculata Head variegated, crossbands (40 to 70) on body. Ventra’s 123 to 140, subcaudals 23 to 387. Found west of the Great Dividing Cee ee Pee a fs. «SORE nl ora wid Wayo we Denisonia devisi Head variegated, many crossbands (60 to 100) on body. Ventrals 151 to 167, subcaudals 21 to 31. Found in south western Australia. Denisonia fasciata ACKNOWLEDGMENTS. Advice in the preparation of this paper has been received from Dr. J. Evans and Mr. J. R. Kinghorn, Australian Museum, Sydney, Mr. G. Mack, Queensland Museum, Brisbane, Mr. L. Glauert, Western Australian Museum, Perth, and Mr. J. R. Slevin, California Academy of Sciences, San Francisco, U.S.A. REFERENCES. Bogert, C. M. (1943).—Bull. Am. Mus. Nat. Hist., 81: 285-360. Boulenger, G. (1896).—Cat. Snakes Brit. Mus., 3: 333, 337, 341. Copland, S. J. (1953).—Bibl. Aust. Herp. 1920-1952, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., 78: 28-37. Kellaway, C. H. (1934) .—Aust. J. Exp. Biol. Med. Sci. 12, (2): 47-54. 33 New Fishes from Australia and New Zealand By 7Gs 2) WHERGENS (Contribution from The Australian Museum, Sydney.) (Figures 1-2) Family GALAXITIDAE. Genus GALAXIAS Cuvier, 1816. GALAXIAS KAIKORAT, sp. nov. Galaxias sp. Oliver, Trans Roy. Soc. N. Zeal. Ixvi, 1936, pp. 284 and 286; Stokell, ibid. Ixxv, 1945, pp. 134-136, pls. xi-xii. This interesting fossil Galarias, though thoroughly dealt with by Stokell in 1945, has not hitherto been specifically named so I propose the new name kaikorai for it, the holotype being Stokell’s example in the Geological Museum of the University of Otago. It came from Kaikorai, near Dunedin, New Zealand, in diatomaceous shale con- sidered to be probably Late Pliocene. Family SPHYRAENIDAE. Genus AUSTRALUZZA Whitley, 1947. AUSTRALUZZA NOVAEHOLLANDIAE (Gunther). Sphyraena novaehollandiae Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. ii, 1860, p. 335. Hobson’s Bay, Victoria. Mr. David H. Graham presented to the Australian Museum a snook of this species from the Bay of Islands, caught in October 1955. New record for New Zealand. Family GOBICMORIDAE. GRAHAMICHTHYS, gen. nov. Orthotype, Hleotris radiata Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1837, as identi- fied here. The fish known as kurahina in New Zealand is not an Eleotris (see Whitley, Proc. Roy. Zool. Soc. N. S. Wales 1952-3 (1954), p. 30) but seems nearer Philypnodon Bleeker (Arch. Neerl. ix, 1874, p. 301) but it differs from that and other genera of its family in so many respects that a new generic name is advisable. Grahamichthys differs from Philypnodon in having the nape and much of the anterior portion of the body naked instead of scaly, in having the teeth enlarged and curved (in a single external row with a pair of canines behind the outer arc of each jaw), the mucus-pores of the head arranged in horizontal rather than in subvertical rows, anterior nostrils more widely separated from posterior ones and caudal fin truncate instead of rounded. Named in honour of Mr. David H. Graham, the author of ‘A Treasury of New Zealand Fishes.” GRAHAMICHTHYS RADIATUS (Cuv. & -Val.). (Figure 1) Eleotris radiata Cuvier & Valenciennes, Hist. Nat. Poiss. xii, March 1837, p. 250. Hae Quoy & Gaimard, MS. Thames River, New Zea- land. Jd. Richardson, Rept. 12th meet. Brit. Assn. Adv. Sci. 1842 (1843), ‘p. 23.: Jd. Hutton, Trans. N-4. insta v. 1873) p. 2655 ple fig. 45a et ibid., xxviii, 1896, p. 315. Id. Waite, Rec. Canterb. Mus. i, 1907, p. 27. Id. Phillipps, N.Z. Mar. Dept. Fish. Bull. i, 1927, p. 49. Id. Graham, Trans. N.Z. Inst. lxviii, 1928, p. 415 and Treasury N:Z; Wish... 1953, pu o20, ne. 34 Mav te ot £0: P20, V. i,.o; €..15. Se. circa 30 from level of vent to root of tail (obsolescent anteriorly). Tr. 9 on caudai peduncle. Head (15 mm.) 3.4, depth (8) 6.5 in standard length (52). Hye (3) 5 in head, 1.5 in interorbital (4.5). Snout, 3.5 mm.; depth of caudal peduncle, 6; maxilla, 6; width of head, 10; predorsal length, 20. Top of head smooth, without crests. Head scaleless, with rows of small papillae disposed as figured, mostly running subhorizontally. Anterior nostrils in small tubes, well separated from the posterior ones which are porelike and near eyes. Mouth large, oblique, reaching halfway below eye. Hooked uniserial canines around front of jaws, followed by a pair of fangs in each jaw; lateral teeth smaller. Apparently no palatine or vomerine teeth. Maxilla sheathed. Lower jaw prominent; chin terminal. Tongue strongly notched Eye moderate. Opercules rounded, entire. .Gill-openings very wide, separated by a narrow isthmus. Body rather elongate and compressed posteriorly. Much of the anterior part of the body is naked like the head, predorsal area, and all the breast. Scales are best developed posteriorly, cycloid, minutely ciliated, fairly large, in about 30 transverse rows between tail and level of vent, before which they are spaced and fewer. Body with Figure 1.—Kurahina, Grahamichthys radiatus. No. 1, Specimen from Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand. 2, scales and pores behind pectoral fin, semidiagrammatic. 3, second dorsal fin of a smaller specimen. 4, anal fin of a smaller specimen. about 24 subvertical rows of papillae; the rows are short behind the pectoral fin but extend for most of the depth posteriorly; they do not meet across the midline, though a few are joined medially as a sort of lateral line. Pores similar to those on the body extend over the middle caudal rays. Genital papilla well developed. Dorsal fins separate, rounded, with 6 spines and 11 rays; anal like second dorsal. Pectorals not reaching level of vent. Ventrals separate, each with one spine and five rays, the fifth (innermost) longest. Caudal truncate. : Colour in formalin: uniform light brown. Some dusky blotches on unpaired fins, those on caudal tending to form four or five crossbars. Eye blue. 35 Described and figured from a specimen (Austr. Mus. regd. No. 1B.2441), 63 mm. or nearly 23 inches long; it is slightly shrunken so that the figure is semidiagrammatic. A smaller one (No. [B.2442), 53 mm. long, has the same data. Loc.—Marlborough Sounds, Cook Strait, New Zealand; Mr. A. M. Rapson, 1946-7. This fish appears to be the true ‘Hleotris radiata Quoy & Gaimard”’ of authors. That species should be credited to Cuvier & Valenciennes (loc. cit., 1837) who took the name from Quoy & Gaimard’s MS. and described it from the Thames River. Hutton (1873) figured a virtual topotype, finding the species common at the mouth of the Thames and known as kurahina to the Maori. The degeneration of scales anteriorly and their alternation with and replacement by crossrows of papillae suggest that G. radiatus may have some special habits associated with environment. Somewhat similar papillae are found in some genera of fishes in Australia: Gymnapogon, Austrolethops and the blind Milyeringa. The unnamed species of Philypnodon (Stokell, Freshwater Fishes of New Zealand 1955, p. 59, pl. xx) might be the young of Grahamichthys radiatus (Cuv. & Val.), but the shape of the head and size of mouth seem different and there are only about 20 transverse scale-rows between level of vent and tail. Philypnodon grandiccps (Krefft, 1864) from Australia has scaly nape, caudal rounded, villiform teeth, and nostrils much closer together. The species identified by Stokell (Trans. Roy. Soc. N. Zeal. 1xx, 1941, pp. 269-272, pl. xxxv, fig. 2 and xxxvi, fig. 5, and Fresh Water Fishes of New Zealand, 1955, p. 55, pl. xviii) as Gobiomorphus radiata is not the same as Hutton’s kurahina, which I take to be typical “Hleotris radiata,’ so I propose. GOBICMORPHUS STOKELLI, nom. nov. for Gobiomorphus radiata Stokell, non Eleotris radiata Cuv. & Val. Family GOBIIDAKE. BATMAN, gen. nov. Orthotype, Batman insignitus, sp. Nov. A small marine goby apparently related to Waitea, Amoya, Amblygobius, Cryptocentrus, Ctenogobius and its subgenus Yoga, but differing from them, and other gobies, by having the following characters combined. Head subcylindrical, naked, with rows (mostly longitudinal) of minute papillae. No barbels, crest, tentacles, or conspicuous ridges; opercles unarmed. Upper jaw overhangs lower; upper lip fully exposed; no teeth on lips. Villiform teeth in bands on jaws; a few enlarged, hooked lateral teeth. Eyes large, superolateral. No transverse groove behind the very narrow interorbital. Tongue not notched. Body compressed, nearly all covered with small cycloid scales. Shoulder-girdle without fleshy lobes. Six flexible dorsal spines. Soft dorsal and anal with more than ten rays, free from caudal. No free pectoral rays. Ventral fins united but not adherent to belly; frenum not lobed. Caudal rounded. BATMAN INSIGNITUS, sp. nov. (Figure 2) DY vifip AZ: A. aA OP ts NN se Cl lS aman: ays oC. ClECaenies Tr. c. 15 on flanks to 10 on caudal peduncle. Head (12 mm.) 3.1, depth (9) 4.2 in standard length (38). Pre- dorsal length, 13 mm.; eye, 4; interorbital, 0.5; postorbital, 6; depth of gill-opening, 5; depth of caudal peduncle, 4.5; length of caudal fin, 10; width of head equal to its depth, 8 mm. 36 Profile declivous, eyes large, superolateral, in front half of head, with narrow concave interorbital. Snout less than eye. Nostrils large, circular; anterior ones with rim, apart from upper lip. Folds of lips well developed, exposed. Upper lip terminal, lower jaw included. Maxillary reaching below pupil, not prolonged, sheathed by suborbital. Lips thick, papillose just before the bands of fine villiform teeth; one or two hooked enlarged teeth each side of lower jaw; apparently no vomerine teeth. Tongue free, convex, not notched. Postorbital less than two-thirds of head. Head and nape naked, crossed by rows (mostly sub-horizontal) of minute papillae. A pore on snout before posterior nostril; one before and one behind interorbital, two behind eye and several more on supraopercular groove and down preoperculum.. No transverse groove behind interorbital area. Gill-openings wide, not reaching below eye, separated by narrow naked isthmus. Nape and shoulders incompletely scaled. About 52 transverse rows of scales between head and hypural joint. Body deep and com- Figure 2.—Signal Goby, Batman insignitus. Type from Darwin, Northern Territory. pressed, mostly covered with cycloid scales which become smaller and sparser anteriorly. Dorsal fins close together, the first elevated. Base of anal less than that of second dorsal. Pectorals large, some lower rays longest, but shorter than head; no free silk-like rays. Ventrals long, reaching anal origin, united by broad frenum forming a funnel. Caudal rounded, shorter than head, its accessory rays not remarkably developed. Colour in alcohol fairly uniform light brown with some diffuse darker cross-bars and lateral blotches; yellowish on face and lower surfaces. Some pale spots on opercles, pectoral bases, and on central membranes of dorsal surface of ventral fins. Eye blue with silvery iris. First dorsal fin dark brown with several cream spots; a con- spicuous black ocellus surrounded by a whitish ring about the fifth spine. Second dorsal fin with alternating brown and cream markings. Anal and caudal infuscated brownish, both darkest distally. Paired fins pale brownish-yellow. Described and figured from the unique holotype (Australian Museum regd. No. [A.4299), a specimen 48 mm. or 1% inches in total length. 37 Loc.—Port Darwin, Northern Territory of Australia; collected by the late A. A. Livingstone in 1929. The ornate first dorsal fin, the fin- and scale-counts with the bluit head and convex tongue distinguish the new species from all known Australian gobies. The ocellus on the spinous dorsal suggests one of the bats with which servicemen signal approaching aircraft to land on a carrier’s deck, hence the generic name, Batman. Possibly the fish signals to others of its kind by erecting the dorsal fin to show the ocellus which would be hidden when the fin is laid back: insignitus is Latin for “marked so as to be known,” from insigne, a signal. For this fish I suggest the vernacular name Signal Goby. A larger paratype (Austr. Mus. regd. No. IA.3755), 104 mm. or just over four inches long, from Thursday Island, Queensland (Mr. M. Ward, August 1928), differs very little from the holotype. It has an outer row of enlarged teeth in upper jaw; one outer anterior and two to three inner lateral enlarged, crooked teeth on lower jaw; first dorsal fin brown with conspicuous cream spots and bars, the dark ocellus diffused; about five rows of dark blotches along second dorsal mem- branes; caudal about as long as head. Range.—North Queensland and Northern Territory of Australia. Mars auropunctatus Tomiyama (Jap. Journ. Ichth. iv, 1956, p. 6, fig. 5) from Japan is rather like Batman insignitus but differs in having lower jaw the longer, larger scales, more pectoral rays, and caudal fin longer than head. Genus ARENIGOBIUS Whitley, 1930. ARENIGOBIUS FRENATUS (Gunther). Gobius frenatus Gunther, Cat. Fish. Brit. Mus. iii, 1861, p. 39. Australia. Gobius semifrenatus Macleay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N. S. Wales v, 1881, p. 598. Port Jackson, N. S. Wales. Id. McCulloch & Ogilby, Rec. Austr: (Muss xii, 1919) pr 244, (pl. xxxiv., fed: When at the British Museum (Natural History) in 1937, I examined some small fishes from “Mr. Gould’s collection,’ the types of a goby, Gobius frenatus Gunther (46.10.22, Nos. 48 to 54) from “Australia,” evidently from Sydney. They had dark spots on top of the head, oblique bars on dorsal fin, and other features as in McCulloch & Ogilby’s figure of G. semifrenatus. Therefore Macleay’s name becomes a new synonym of Arenigobius frenatus (Gunther), as the fish is now known. Genus OPLOPOMUS Cuvier & Valenciennes, 1837. OPLOPOMUS CANINOIDES (Bleeker). Gobius caninoides Bleeker, Nat. Tijdschr. Ned. Ind. iii, 1852, p. 274. Amboina. Oplopomus vergens Jordan & Seale, Bull. U.S. Bur. Fisher., xxvi, 1906 (1907), p. 44, fig. 17. Cavite, Philippines. Oplopomus caninoides Koumans, Fish. Indo-Austr. Archip. x, 1953, p. 31 (refs. & synon.). One specimen, 223 in. long, from Darnley Island, Queensland (Austr. Mus. reg. No. 1.14851). New record for Australia. 38 List of the Native Freshwater Fishes of Australia By GILBERT P. WHITLEY, F.R.Z.S. (Contribution from The Australian Museum, Sydney.) (Figures 1-16) Wide-mouthed or Pouched Lamprey, Geotria australis Gray, 1851. Narrow-mouthed Lamprey, Yarra singularis Castelnau, 1872. Short-headed Lamprey, Mordacia mordax (Richardson, 1846). Sharks occasionally enter freshwater, also the Stingray, Toshia fluviorum (Ogilby, 1908) and Sawfishes (Pristis clavata Garman, 1906 and P. zijsron Bleeker, 1851), but are not resident in fresh- water. Leichhardt’s Sawfish Pristiopsis leichhardti Whitley, 1945. Queensland Lungfish, Neoceratodus forsteri (Gunther, 1870). Burramundi, Scleropages leichhardti Gunther, 1864. Freshwater Herring, Potamalosa richmondia (Macleay, 1879). Bony Bream, Nematalosa come (Richardson, 1846). Bony Bream, Nematalosa erebi (Gunther, 1868). Bony Bream, Fluvialosa richardsoni (Castelnau, 1873). Bony Bream, Fluvialosa horni (Zietz, 1896). Bony Bream, Fluvialosa elongata (Macleay, 1883). Bony Bream, Fluvialosa paracome Whitley, 1948. (Figure 1.) Bony Bream, Fluvialosa bulleri Whitley, 1948. (Figure 2.) Australian Smelt, Retropinna semoni (Weber, 1895). Victorian Smelt, Retropinna victoriae Stokell, 1941. Tasmanian Smelt, Retropinna tasmanica McCulloch, 1920. Striped Galaxias, Brachygalaxias pusillus (Mack, 1936). Striped Galaxias, Brachygdlaxias nigrostriatus (Shipway, 1953). Joilytail or Eel-Gudgeon, Austrocobitis attenuatus (Jenyns, 1842). Spotted Mountain Trout, Galaxias truttaceus (Cuvier, 1816). Spotted Mountain Trout, Galarias truttaceus hesperius Whitley, 1944. Golden Mountain Trout, Galazias auratus Johnston, 1883. Mountain Trout, Galavias coxii Macleay, 1880. Galaxias or Minnow, Galazias occidentalis Ogilby, 1899. Galaxias or Minnow, Galaxias weedoni Johnston, 1883. Galaxias or Minnow, Galazias rostratus Klunzinger, 1872. Galaxias or Minnow, Galazias nigothoruk Lucas, 1892. Galaxias or Minnow, Galazrias affinis Regan, 1906. (Figure 3.) Galaxias or Minnow, Gdlarias oconnori Ogilby, 1912. Galaxias Galaxias Galaxias Galaxias Galaxias Galaxias or Minnow, Galazias ornatus Castelnau, 1873. or Minnow, Galazias olidus Gunther, 1866. or Minnow, Galaxias findlayi Macleay, 1882. or Minnow, Galazias bongbong Macleay, 1881. or Minnow, Galaxias schomburgkii Peters, 1869. or Minnow, Galazxias parkeri Scott, 1936. Galaxias Galaxias Galaxias or Minnow, Galarias fuscus Mack, 1936. or Minnow, Gdlazias johnstoni Scott, 1936. or Minnow, Galaxrias scopus Scott, 1936. Galaxias or Minnow, Galaxias upcheri Scott, 1942. Galaxias or Minnow, Galazias planiceps Macleay, 1881. EHel-Gudgeon, Sazilaga cleaveri (Scott, 1934). Eel-Gudgeon, Sazilaga anguilliformis Scott, 1936. EHel-Gudgeon, Paragalazias dissimilis (Regan, 1906). Grayling or Cucumber Herring, Prototroctes maraena Gunther, 1864. Tasmanian Troutlet, Lovettia sealii (Johnston, 1883). Catfish, Tandanus bostocki Whitley, 1944. Catfish, Tandanus tandanus (Mitchell, 1838). Catfish, Tandanus rendahli (Whitley, 1928). ‘Catfish, Neosilurus hyrtlii Steindachner, 1867. 39 Catfish, Neosilurus brevidorsalis (Gunther, 1867). Catfish, Neosilurus argenteus (Zietz 1896). Catfish, Neosilurus mortoni Whitley, 1941. Catfish, Neosilurus glencoensis (Rendahl, 1922). Catfish, Neosilurus robustus Cgilby, 1908. Catfish, Lambertichthys ater (Perugia, 1894). (Figure 4.) Catfish, Anodontiglanis dahli Rendahl, 1922. Catfish, Porochilus obbesi Weber, 1913. Catfish, Nemapteryx stirlingi (Ogilby, 1898.) Catfish, Pararius berneyi (Whitley, 1941). Salmon Catfish, Neoarius australis (Gunther, 1867). Onegilled Hel, Synbranchus gutturalis Richardson, 1845. Freshwater Hel, Anguilla bicolor, McClelland, 1844. Freshwater Hel, Anguilla obscura Gunther, 1872. Shortfinned Hel, Anguiila australis Richardson, 1841. Longfinned Hel, Anguilla reinharditi Steindachner, 1867. Pipefish, Oxleyana parviceps (Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886). Pipefish, Parasyngnathus altirostris (Ogilby, 1890). River Garfish, Reporhamphus ardelio Whitley, 1931. Long Tom, Stenocaulus krefftii (Gunther, 1866). Hardyhead or Silverside, Atherinosoma edelensis (Castelnau, 1873). Hardyhead or Silverside, Atherinosoma rockinghamensis Whitley, 1948. Hardyhead or Silverside, Atherinosoma (Taeniomembras) elongacva (Kiunzinger, 1879). Hardyhead or Silverside, Craterocephalus eyresti (Steindachner, 1883). Hardyhead or Silverside, Craterocephalus fluviatilis McCulloch, 1912. Hardyhead or Silverside, Craterocephalus worrelli Whitley, 1948. Hardyhead or Silverside, Craterocephalus stercusmuscarum (Guather. 1867). Hardyhead or Silverside, Craterocephalus marjoriae Whitley, 1948. Hardyhead or Silverside, Craterocephalus cuneiceps Whitley, 1944. Blackmast or Strawman, Quirichthys stramineus (Whitley, 1950). Blue Eye, Pseudomugil signifer Kner, 1864. Blue Hye, Pseudomugil signatus Gunther, 1867. Soft-spined Sunfish, Rhadinocentrus ornatus Regan, 1914. Soft-spined Sunfish, Rhadinocentrus rhombosomoides Nichols & Raven, 1928. Sunfish, Amneris rubrostriata (Ramsay & Ogilby, 1886). (Figures 6 & 9.) Sunfish, Aidaprora carteri Whitley, 1935. Sunfish, Rhombosoma trifasciata Rendahl, 1922. Sunfish, Melanotaenia nigrans (Richardson, 1843). (Figure 5.) Sunfish, Melanotaenia fluviatilis (Castelnau, 1878). (Figure 8.) Sunfish, Melanotaenia australis (Castelnau, 1875). (Figure 11.) Sunfish, Melanotaenia mccullochi Ogilby, 1915. (Figure 10.) Mullet, Trachystoma petardi (Castelnau, 1875). Mullet, Moolgarda (Planiliza) ordensis Whitley, 1945. Threadfin, Polynemus sheridani Macleay, 1884. Estuary Rock Cod, Hpinephelus tauvina (Bonnaterre, 1788). Bass or Perch, Percalates colonorum (Gunther, 1863). Bass or Perch, Percalates novemaculeatus (Steindachner, 1866). Callop, Plectroplites ambiguus (Richardson, 1845). Macquarie Perch, Macquaria australasica Lesson, 1825. Nightfish, Bostockia porosa Castelnau, 1873. Pigmy Perch, Nannoperca australis Gunther, 1861. Pigmy Perch, Nannoperca obscura (Klunzinger, 1872). Pigmy Perch, Nannoperca tasmaniae (Johnston, 1883). Pigmy Perch, Nannoperca oxleyana Whitley, 1940. Pigmy Perch, Hdelia vittata Castelnau, 1873. 40 Murray Cod, Maccullochella macquariensis (Cuv. & Val., 1829). Spangled Grunter, Madigania unicolor (Gunther, 1859). Black-striped Grunter, Amniataba percoides (Gunther, 1864). Black-striped Grunter, Amniataba percoides burnettensis Whitley, 1943. Black-striped Grunter, Amniataba percoides yorkensis (Nichols, 1949). Silver Perch, Bidyanus bidyanus (Mitchell, 1838). Silver Perch, Bidyanus ellipticus (Richardson, 1848). Round-tailed Grunter, Hephaestus carbo (Ogilby & McCulloch, 1916). Sooty Grunter, Hephaestus fuliginosus (Macleay, 1883). Purple Grunter, Hephaestus bancrofti (Ogilby & McCulloch, 1916). Welch’s Grunter, Hephaestus welchi (McCulioch & Waite, 1917). Northern Grunter, Mesopristes alligatoris (Rendahl, 1922). Grd River Grunter, Mesopristes jenkinsi Whitley, 1945. Banded Grunter, Papuservus trimaculatus (Macleay, 1883). Leathery Grunter, Scortum hillii (Castelnau, 1878). Small-headed Grunter, Scortum parviceps (Macleay, 1883). Barcoo Grunter, Scorium barcoo (McCulloch & Waite, 1917). Gulf Grunter, Scortum ogiltyi Whitley 1951. Yellowtail Grunter, Amphitherapon caudavittatus (Richardson, 1845). Cichlid Grunter, Leiopotherapon (Archerichthys) suavis Whitley, 1948. Gilbert’s Grunter, Pingalla gilberti Whitley, 1955. Balston’s Perchlet, Nannatherina balstoni Regan, 1906. Flagtail, Dules haswelli Macleay, 1881. Flagtail, Herops munda De Vis, 1884. Glossamia, Glossamia aprion (Richardson, 1842). Soldier Fish, Glossamia gillii (Steindachner, 1867). Blanchard’s Perchlet, Kurandapogon blanchardi Whitley, 1939. Chanda Perch, Auwstrochanda macleayi (Castelnau, 1878). Chanda Perch, Blandowskiella nigripinnis (De Vis, 1884). Chanda Perch, Blandowskiella agassizi (Steindachner, 1867). (Figure he) Chanda Perch, Blandowskiella castelnawi (Macleay, 1881). Chanda Perch, Priopis agrammus (Gunther, 1867). Network Percelle, Amlassis reticulatus Weber, 1913. Gulliver’s Perchlet, Acanthoperca gulliveri Castelnau, 1878. Mary Perchlet, Priopidichthys marianus (Gunther, 1880). Penny Fish, Denariusa bandata Whitley, 1948. Palmer, Lates calcarifer (Bloch, 1790). Mangrove Jack or River Roman, Lutjanus argentimaculatus (Bonna- terre, 1788). Jewfish, Johnius australis (Gunther, 1880). (Figure 12.) Other species of Sciaenidae enter rivers at times. Bream, Acanthopagrus butcheri (Munro, 1949). Silver Batfish, Monodactylus argenteus (Linne, 1758). Slender Bream, Leptobrama mulleri Steindachner, 1879. (Figure 14.) Archer Fish, Toxotes jaculator (Bonnaterre, 1788). Archer Fish, Tozotes dorsalis Whitley, 1950. Archer Fish, Toxotes carpentariensis Castelnau, 1878. Rifle Fish, Protoxotes lorentzi (Weber, 1911). Nursery Fish, Kurtus gulliveri Castelnau, 1878. Striped Butterfish, Selenotoca multifasciata (Richardson, 1846). Queensland Butterfish or Scat, Selenotoca altermans (Castelnau, 1878). Spotted Butterfish, Prenes quadranus (De Vis, 1884). Northern Scat, Desmoprenes tetracanthus (Lacepede, 1802.) Some Soles occasionally enter freshwater, but ours cannot be classed as freshwater fishes: Synaptura salinarum, (Ogilby, 1910) (Figure 15) came from saltpans, Kimberley, Queensland, and JZebrias selheimi (Macleay, 1882) from Palmer River, Queensland. The unique type of the latter is no longer preserved in the Macleay Museum. More specimens are wanted. 41 Slippery or River Blackfish, Gadopsis marmoratus Richardson, 1848. Congolli, Pseudaphritis bursinus (Cuv. & Val., 1830). Black Gudgeon, Culius niger (Quoy & Gaimard, 1824). Golden Gudgeon, Shipwayia aurea (Shipway, 1950). Gudgeon, Oxyeleotris lineolatus (Steindachner, 1867). Gudgeon, Bunaka herwerdeni (Weber, 1910). Gudgeon, Prionobutis microps (Weber, 1908). Gudgeon, Meuschenula darwiniensis (Macleay, 1878). Gudgeon, Gobiomorphus coxii (Krefft, 1864). Northern Purple-spotted Gudgeon, Mogurnda mogurnda (Richardson, 1844). Central Australian Gudgeon, Mogurnda larapintae (Zietz, 1896). Chequered or Purple-spotted Gudgeon, Mogurnda pallida (Castelnau, 1875). Striped Gudgeon, Mogurnda australis (Krefft, 1864). Big-headed Gudgeon, Philypnodon grandiceps (Krefft, 1864). Flat-headed Gudgeon, Philypnodon grandiceps angustifrons (Ogilby, 1898). (Figure 16). Western Carp-Gudgeon, Carassiops klunzingeri Ogilby, 1898. Firetail Gudgeon, Carassiops galii Ogilby, 1898. Carp-Gudgeon, Carassiops compressus (Krefft, 1864). Norman River Gudgeon, Carassiops? simplex (Castelnau, 1878). Snakehead Gudgeon, Ophieleotris aporos (Bleeker, 1854). Umber, Ophiocara macrolepidotus (Bloch, 1792). Tittle, Lindemanella iota Whitley, 1935. Blind Gudgeon, Milyeringa veritas Whitley, 1945. Goby, Arenigobius tamarensis (Johnston, 1883). (Figure 13). Goby, Chlamydogobius eremius (Zietz, 1896). Goby, Glossogobius suppositus (Sauvage, 1880). Goby, Glossogobius gutum (Hamilton-Buchanan, 1822). Goby, Lizagobius olorum (Sauvage, 1880). Bullrout, Notesthes robusta (Gunther, 1860). Toado, Sphaeroides hamiltoni (Richardson, 1843). Other species ascend _ freshwater at times. Introduced species and synonyms have been omitted. 42 Holotype from Figure 1 (larger figure).—Fluvialosa paracome. Holotype from Ord River, Western | Noonkanbah, Western Australia. Australia. Figure 2.—Fluvialosa bulleri. G. P. Whitley del. Type from Lake St. Clair, Tasmania. After Regan. Figure 3.—Galazias affinis. 43 Figure 4.—Lambertichthys ater. A specimen from the Upper Sepik River, New Guinea, the holotype of the new subspecies sepikensis, distinguished by its 92 to 96 anal rays or about 135 to 140 rays ; around the tail. Australian Museum registered No. IA.7278. 7 et FE ¢ Figure 5 (smaller, upper figure).—Melanotaenia nigrans. Holotype of Nematocentris splendida in the Berlin Museum from Fitzroy River, Queensland. Figure 6.—Amneris rubrostriata. A specimen from Howard Creek, Koolpinyah, Northern Territory. 44 Figure 7 (top left).—Blandowskiella agassizi from Cairns district, Queensland. Figure 8 (top right).—WMelanotaenia fluviatilis. Domesticated. Figure 9 (bottom left).—Amneris rubrostriata from Cairns district, Q. Figure 10.—Melanotaenia mccullochi from Cairns district, Q. Photographed from life by the late A. K. Carter. Figure 11.—Melanotaenia australis. Specimen from Weeli Wolli, Hamersley Range, Western Australia. 45 Figure 12.—Johnius australis. Specimen from Brisbane River, Queensland. After J. D. Ogilby. Figure 13 (upper figure). —Arenigobius tamarensis. Topotype from Tamar River, Tasmania. After E. O. G. Scott. Figure 14 (lower figure).—Leptobrama mulleri. Male from Keppel Bay, Queensland. After J. D. Ogilby. 46 Figure 15.—Synaptura salinarum. Specimen from Coen River, Queensland, with D. 78, A. 59, P. 8, V. 5 and C. 12. Figure 16.—Flat-headed Gudgeon, Philypnodon grandiceps angustifrons. No. 1: Specimen from Norton's Basin, Nepean River, N. S. Wales. No. 2: Top of head of same. Coloration of head omitted to show mucus pores. No. 3: Top of head of type of P. g. grandiceps to show broader interorbital; mucus pores are as in previous figures. No. 4: Side view of head of type of grandiceps showing extent of mouth and short ventral fin (half the scale of other figures). G. P. Whitley del. 47 The Reappearance of a Rare Australian Volute Shell, Amoria grossi Iredale (Mollusca: Gastropoda) A New Record for New South Wales By Joyce ALLAN, F.R.Z.S. (Contribution from The Australian Museum, Sydney.) Conchologists have had to wait for half a century for a companion to the unique holotype of the Australian volute, Amoria grossi (Iredale) in the Australian Museum collection. Yet, within approxi- mately three weeks of one another, two specimens of a strange volute shell, both from the north coast of New South Wales but from different localities, have been brought in to the museum by their owners for identification. Amazingiy, these were found to be young, but quite well developed specimens of Amoria grossi, of which the type locality is Caloundra, Queensland. The specimens were in perfect condition, both possessing an exquisite little protoconch perched up like a pin on othe centre of the top of the rather broad, rounded, first whorl of the spire; this is absent in the much older, somewhat worn and faded holotype. Although found in a dead state (a hermit crab occupied one shell) their appearance indicated that they had recently enclosed living molluscs as shown by the presence of the still intact protoconch, rich colouring and general absence of usual signs of deterioration. Somewhat after the size and shape of Hricusa sericata Thornley, 1951, they differ from this recently described species in their heavier build, much shorter spire, pattern, and columella teeth. A most con- spicuous, tooth-like nodule immediately above the posterior columella tooth is a striking character which both specimens possess and which is also present in the holotype. The first of the two specimens, brought to the museum on May 2, 1955, belongs to Mr. H. Genders of Belmont South, New South Wales. It was found by Skipper “Snowy” Bale when he was prawn-trawling off Wooli in the previous month, in 35 fm. of water going into shell and sandy bottom. The specimen measures 70 mm. in length, and the owner says he has another specimen about one inch longer. The holotype measurements are: length, 118 mm.; breadth, 48 mm. The second specimen, found in lobster pots off Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, in September 1954, was brought in by Mrs. E. Harton of Coff’s Harbour on May 25, 1955. It is in the collection of Mr. and Mrs. Harton, and is approximately the same size as Mr. Genders’s specimen. These two specimens are the first to be recorded from New South Wales. The three specimens (Genders, 2) increase the number known to the museum at present of this extraordinary volute to four only. In 1927, Iredale (Austr. Zool. 4, p. 336, pl. XLVI., f. 2) described Amoria grossi, a new species of volutidae that had been collected many years before at Caloundra by G. Gross and presented in i904 to the Australian Museum (reg. No.. C.19213). Hedley, recognising it at the time as a new species gave it the MS. name Voluta grossi, which Iredale in 1927 published with a description and illustration. A point that cannot be overlooked however, but which both Hedley and Iredale apparently did not consider, as neither remarked upon it, is the close relationship Amoria grossi bears to the unique volute Voluta (Aulica) hargreavesi Angas, 1872 (Proc. Zool. Soc., Lond. 613, pl. xlii, f. 13) from an unknown locality. As this was at the time of description in the collection of Charles Thatcher, an Australian collector of shells, it is almost certain to have an Australian, or near Australian habitat. Its general shape, colour and pattern, its relative 48 7M y WY I Bay) is ‘ A} ey Figure 1.—Amoria grossi from northern New South Wales. J. Allan del. measurements and heaviness of build, certainly associate the two species. There is a discrepancy between Angas’s description of the -number of columella teeth and those in the illustration. This can only be solved by reference to the holotype of V. hargreavesi Angas. In Angas’s illustration it is only the columella teeth that appear to differ from the specimen of A. grossi. A request has been sent to the British Museum for further information on V. hargreavesi, if such is available. At a later date it is hoped to provide an illustration of one of the New South Wales specimens with the protoconch in situ. Should Voluta (Aulica) hargreavesi Angas and Amoria grossi (Iredale) later prove to be synonymous, the former will have priority. This would in no way detract from the interest of this New South Wales record but would simply entail the readjustment of the specific name. Ludbrook (1954; Proc. Malac. Soc. Lond., 30 (4) 144-5, pl. 16, figs. 1-4) places A. grossi as a synonym of A. volva (Gnelin, 1790) but for the present I am regarding them as separate species. 49 Some Have Eyes — Others Have None By TARLTON RAYMENT, F.R.Z.S. (Hon. Associate in Hntomology, National Museum, Victoria.) For many years I had been familiar with an attractive black male bee that has its front leg adorned with a conspicuous dark “eye.” My revered mentor, too, must have been impressed by the peculiarity, tor he bestowed on the bee its title of Megachile oculipes Ckll., which connotes no more than, “an eye on the foot.” You see, there is an interesting group of leaf-cutter males that have the five tarsal segments of the front legs expanded into large flat plates of unique shape. Just what function these strange modifica- tions perform is not yet known to me, and the “eye” of oculipes adds a trifle more interest to the puzzle. Perhaps it is a mere ornament, of no more importance biologically than the ridiculous ring stuck through the lobe of a woman’s ear, for I have a related male that gets along equally well without it. Well, the exaggerated legs focussed my attention for many years, and I postulated that the aspect of the female must be similarly bizarre. At least that is the way I had reasoned over the years. “Why, you might ask, “did you not clear away the murk?” The answer is conclusive—The female is not yet known with absolute certainty. Yet I am almost convinced, for once I was within a hair’s breadth of revealing her identity. You see I have une collaboratrice, Rica Erickson, in Western Australia, at Bolgart, 90 or so miles north of Perth, to be precise, and she had observed some very extraordinary behaviour on the part of certain wild-bees. Permit me to condense the story. An industrious wasp built a cluster of mud cells under Rica Erickson’s verandah, and in the following season, after the young wasps had emerged, behold, a large red-faced wild-bee came along and remodelled the home to suit: her more fastidious tastes. The architectural additions being duly completed, the bee hied herself away to the blossoms of the ‘Wandoo,’ Hucalyptus redunca, which was exceedingly fioriferous at that season. Day after day the bee returned laden with creamy pollen from the trees, and just as regularly une collaboratrice recorded their progress. A critical examina- tion of the mud cells revealed that the interior was plastered over with a greenish “jam.” That observation brought an imperative demand. ‘“‘Please send the whole “nest,” together with the bee that made it!’’ Well, a day or two later, the mud cells arrived in excellent order. Sure enough, the cells were lined out with a sticky green substance compounded of masticated green leaves, honey and water. It was indeed a sweet confection! How do I know that? Because [ tasted some of it. Let us leave the jam for a minute or two. EHacn cell had been closed neatly with a smooth seal, which would have been exceedingly difficult to detect had not its green colour presented such a pleasant contrast to the orange-brown colour of the mud. It was equally smooth, but very much harder, and its base was undoubt- edly vegetable, but the addition of some glandular secretion had turned it into a veritable cement. I am elated by the bee's capacity to utilize green leaves for two such dissimilar purposes. With assiduous care I succeeded in rearing the larvae to healthy maturity, and due to emerge the following summer. Now I shall soon know the true female, I concluded. I am specially elated, for une collaboratrice had failed to capture the bee that occupied the ‘nest.’ No matter, I shall soon have her. 50 Alas! I do not solve the problem, for every one of the bees that emerged were indubitably males, Megachile oculipes, if you please. Not one female was present in the brood. “TIsn’t that unusual?” Of course it is, but I have a ready explanation. The description supplied by Rica Erickson fitted the female WV. aurifrons Sm., which has its face masked with much red hair. More important still, this female has a most remarkable clypeal structure for, behind the broad mandibles, the clypeus is hollowed out to form a highly-polished black basin. This extraordinary vessel is for mixing and carrying jam. It has another astonishing function which we will investigate presently. The bee cuts up into pulp some kind of soft green leaves, for she is of the leaf-cutters’ family, you will remember. With honey from her sac, and a modicum of water, she compounds her jam. “But to what purpose; do the larvae eat it?” No, No! The jam is not consumed; it is used solely to maintain the humidity of the cell at the required degree. You will remember that honey is hygroscopic, that is, it absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. In a dry mud cell, built under cover, the baby bees would quickly dry out, dessicate, become mere insect mummies. “You haven't told us of the other purpose of the clypeal hollow.’’ Pardon! I repeat, it is a capacious basin—one easily filled. The females squabble over which one should occupy the ready-made chambers. At length one bee is thrown out by force majeure. Very well, she awaits her opportunity for revenge. Returning stealthily, like a thief, she opens her jaws wide, makes one slash at the stored pollen-pudding, and hurries off with her “basin” filled to overflowing with the ill-gotten spoils of her crime. My collaboratrice saw her do it; micro-examination confirmed the observer. That criminal “smash and grab” deprived the rightful baby of a large share of its inheritance. Long experience among bees has taught me that the store for males is considerably less than that for females. The rightful mother returns shortly after, and finding a considerably reduced pudding, supplies only a male egg. “But can the female predetermine the sex of her child?” Of course she does. That fact has been demonstrated experiment- ally many times. Today, under my hand, is another leaf-cutter, closely allied, I grant you, and on the front leg is the “eye’’ of oculipes. And there are Similarly expanded ivory segments. The female, however, is very different indeed from aurifrons, for she has no ‘jam jar’ behind her mandibles. In short, we have a new species, so I append the portrait that you may readily distinguish one from the other. Megachile oculiformis, sp. nov. Type: Female—Length, 12 mm. approx. Black, white hair. Head almost circular from front, thin long white hair, closely and coarsely punctured, shining; frons with a fine carina that reaches the median ocellus; clypeus. coarsely and closely punctured, a few dark hairs on disc, anterior emarginate, with several large tubercles; supraclypeal area convex, the punctures larger than those of frons; vertex long, a few black hairs; compound eyes converging slightly below; genae closely punctured, with a few white hairs; labrum black; mandibulae black, coarsely rugoso-punctate, quadridentate, apical tooth longest; antennae black. dL Prothorax black, not visible from above; tubercles black, a fringe of white hair; mesothorax shining, close coarse punctures, and a few inconspicuous black hairs on disc, others white; scutellum similar; postscutellum rougher; metathorax with dorsum coarsely scale-like, a few obscure rugae basally, some white hair laterally; abdominal dorsal segments entirely black, posterior margins depressed, with narrow white fasciae, coarsely and closely punctured, a few long white hairs laterally, apical segments dusted with straw-coloured hair; ventral segments with fringes of long white hair. Legs black, with short white hair; tarsi black, with reddish hair, claw-segment red; claws red, simple; hind calcar stout, simple, red- dish; tegulae polished black; wings dusky; nervures blackish-brown, heavy; cubital cells subequal, second receiving both recurrents; pterostigma inconspicuous; hamuli ten, strong. > Locality: Mt. Buffalo, Victoria (alt. 4,500 ft.), 13th Jan. 1955. A. Neeboice. Allotype and Type in the collection of the author. Allies: The male is very near to M. oculipes, which has ferruginous scapes, but the female has the superficial aspect of M. simplex. is very distinct by the emarginate clypeus. The female of M. oculipes is almost certainly M. aurifrons which is very different from the new female. Allotype, Male—Length 11 mm. approx. Black, white hair, red anterior legs, with expanded cream-coloured tarsi. The new male will be confused with M. oculipes: Sm. but it is readily separated by its black scapes. The description of the new female will serve for general aspect, but the characters that distinguish the male from M. oculipes are given below:— M. oculiformis, sp. nov. M. oculipes Ckll. Slightly larger. Slightly smaller. Sculpture of face visible. Masked with hair. Vertex with smoky hair. With ochreous hair. Antennae all black. Scapes ferruginous. Tegular polished black. Amber anteriorly. Mesothorax with smaller punc- Larger and deeper. tures. Abdomen with smaller punctures, Larger, and more scattered, With much black hair. No b'ack hair. Keel with two minute teeth, and Only emarginate. Laterad two more. Not any. Apical hair ochreous. White. Anterior femora black. Red. Anterior tibiae red inside, and All red, and slender. stouter. Dorsum coarsely granular. Finely tessellate. Less white hair on basal seg- Much more white hair. ment of abdomen. Claw segment red. Black. Locality: Mt. Buffalo, Victoria, Jan. 1954, leg. C. E. G. Stewart, Glen Wills, Victoria, Zlst Fehb., 1952, leg. Alex Burns, 52 EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. Cluster of mud-wasp's cells remodelled by the bee, Megachile aurifrons Sm. Female M. chrysopyga Sm., cutting a leaf for her cells. ’ Graphic section of mud cell of M. aurifrons showing “jam” on the interior margin, pollen and egg. Black “jam jar” of M. aurifrons, and the peculiar clypeal process projecting over the front. Tridentate mandible of male M. oculipes Ckll. — M. aurifrons Sm. Coarse punctate sculpture of mandibles. Portions of leaf cut by M. chrysopyga. Completed sealed cell of this bee. Caudal keel of M. oculipes Ckll. Caudal keel of M. oculiformis, sp. nov. Quadridentate mandibles and tuberculate clypeal margin of WM. oculiformis are very different from those of M. aurifrons. Apical segment of antenna of males; a. M. oculiformis; b. M. oculipes. Labrum of the latter bee. Five tarsal segments of anterior leg of M. oculipes. Five stouter segments of M. oculiformis, sp. nov. Tarsi of M. lineatipes Ckll. has two smaller “eyes.” Tarsi of M. latipes Sm. are expanded, but have no eye. A tuft of hair from apical sterna of M. oculipes. Maxillary palpus of this male. . Female M. aurifrons mixing her pollen in a cell. Depositing her egg on the “pudding.” Genitalia of male, M. oculipes. Rugose sculpture of mandibles of female M. oculiformis, sp. nov. Pollen-grain (Compositae) from pudding of another leaf-cutter bee. ays) BEATE: TATE Basie Na She Trips the Trigger By TARLTON RAYMENT, F..R.Z.S. (Hon. Associate in Entomology, National Museum, Victoria.) Long before the white man arrived to occupy his country, the aborigine found a simple amusement in tripping the trigger of Stylidium. Why, 200 years later, I myself find it an interesting occupation, albeit the objective is far beyond the ambit of the native’s mind. Do you know the trigger plant? It seems superfluous to ask, for Stylidia are widely distributed over the Commonwealth. However, there is one species that is conspicuous in the south-east corner, so let us know it by its proper name, Stylidium graminifolium, which is rather apt, as you will discover presently. I have seen it flourishing in the highlands of Tasmania, and on the lowlands of the southern coast line of Victoria. It dares the cold of Mount Buffalo, and ascends even higher in New South Wales, where a collaborateur found it abloom on Kosciusko, the highest peak in Australia. You see I am intrigued by its unique method of pollination, and the extraordinary mechanism that nature has evolved to perfect the action of transferring the pollen to a bee, and then back again to another plant. Of course I like to experiment a little; to glean whatever facts will assist my simple studies of the ‘triggers...’ But first I must identify the species, and that is, fortunately an easy task. The grass- trigger is quite unlike its congeners, so permit me to limn a brief sketch of its morphology. Visualize a tussock of grass-like aspect, from the centre of which arises a slender reddish-green stalk. At regular intervals pale-pink flowers appear, the majority of which are more or less quadrate, since they bear only four petals, but surprisingly, a percentage of the blossoms are circular, since they have five petals. The diameter of the flowers is a trifle under half an inch. About the centre is a circular pallisade, the appendage of the throat; four-petalled flowers having six crystal points; five petals bearing two more. A curious parallel is present in the germinal pores of the pollen, the subquadrate grains have four pores; the circular grains have five. I have no theory to offer; I am merely recording my observations. But I must hurry on. Such a brief portrait of the plant might well serve for that admirable fellow, “the man in the street,’ but it is inadequate for those Seeking the True and the Beautiful in Nature. Bear with me, then, a little longer, while I explore the subtle anatomy of the trigger, for without a knowledge of such petty details one could not appreciate the beautiful interdependence of bees and flowers. Let us re-examine the structure. Between two of the petals is a slight interval, and in it, but bent right back until it resembles the curve of a shepherd’s crook, is the reddish-green style. Look closer! At the base of the corolla, on the exterior, is an inconspicuous organ —oh, yes, it is an organ resembling a microscopic flat plate, from the upper margin of which project two slender ‘‘arms.”’ I set up the plant before me on the laboratory bench so that a lens can be brought to focus on the blossoms. Then, following the ancient practice of the aborigines, I press a dry grass stalk into the throat of the flower—the style.shoots upright with the sudden jolt of a spring. 59 No matter how many times I “fire’ the tiny gun, I am always surprised at the vigour of the result. Perhaps because we have always been taught that the Plant Kingdom lacks the power of locomotion. Oh, yes, I.admit the simplicity of the pleasure, but the explanation of the phenomenon is an exceedingly difficult problem. It is easy to take refuge behind the statement, ‘‘Certain plants’ are extremely sen- sitive’; but that, you will know, does not constitute an answer. What mysterious changes, I ask, take place within the cells to motivate the style? Did I hear you ask, ‘““Why does it spring back with the suddenness of a catapult?” Well, the answer is, “because there is a missile to be projected.” The reply is a simple albeit a truthful one. There is pollen to be shot forth, and it must hit the ‘target’ if success is to be achieved in the life of the plant. And what is the “target”? Why, no other place, if you please, than the middle of the thorax of a tiny bee. Any bee? Of course not, one specific honey-gatherer, if you must know, a small female, with a, polished black head and thorax, and a club- shaped reddish abdomen. And her size? Pardon, I omitted to mention an important detail, she is a mere 7 millimetres in length. You may, however, readily recognise her by the ivory-coloured ‘hook,’ or anchor, on the face, hence her specific title, Hxoneura hamulata Ckll.t The generic name connotes the absence of the second recurrent vein in the anterior wings. That is enough of her morphology. I must, however, hark back to that natural catapult, the style of the flower. Oh, yes, it is indeed a remarkable organ, for it has impressed its name on a whole genus of astonishing plants. Other flowers have the male anthers supported on stamens, and the female organ grows on a separate pistil, but Stylidium bears both organs on the one pole. At first, only four small “pockets,” gravid with riches, but buttoned up very securely, are to be seen. Later on, the pockets or anthers split open very gradually, and soon a mass of pollen-grains, of the palest amythestine tint, are exposed; waiting. The crystailine unicellular hairs of the fringe seem to become turgid—a crisis is at hand! A hooked bee hovers—then literally dives onto the “firing” mechanism, and “presses the trigger,’ as it were. The style instantly rips up like a shot, striking hamulata on. the disc of her thorax with a tiny charge of “shrapnel”: ripe pollen from the gravid anthers. Let us leave the bee at her task for a moment, and revert once more to the style itself. I have already told you that at first only the four anthers are visible, but after all their pollen has been successively ejected, they shrivel, then contract, and from between them emerges the soft green spherical female stigma. The bee collects her toll of nectar, and wings her industrious way to another trigger-plant. But there a spectacular change had come over the floral mechanism, for instead of a store of pollen-grains, the “furry” stigma is poised above, avid, awaiting the arrival of the bee. From the disc of the insect’s thorax the pollen-grains are swept off with astonishing efficiency. One might almost conclude that the plant is endowed with reason. The pollen tubules will force a way ‘See Aust. Zool. Vol. xi, Part 4, pp. 285-312, 1951, for an account of the biology. 56 through the tissues of the style. The male nucleus will travel down to unite with the pale female nucleus in the green ovary. A viable seed will result from the union to carry on the race of trigger plants. Are hooked bees the only honey-tribe attracted to the flowers? No, no! Many are called, but few are chosen. On Mt. Kosciusko, C. E. Chadwick, an entomologist at the Department of Agriculture, Sydney, collected a very much larger bee, Parasphecodes hirtiventris2 Ckll., when visiting a flower of Stylidium graminifolium. Does she receive a blow from the trigger? Of course, but she is far too tall, and the style strikes her low on the side, spraying the pollen mostly over the hairs of the pleural region, whence the stigma is unable to recover it. When I examined the fleece of hirtiventris under the searching eyes of the microscope, behold, the amethystine grains are many times out- numbered by masses of pollen resembling miniature golden burrs, the unmistakable male cells of the yam, Microseris forsteri. From the investigation of her fleece I learn two important facts; one, the bee is polylectic in habit, visiting several botanical species even on the one journey. Two, her large size precludes her functioning as an efficient agent in the pollination of Stylidiwm graminifolium. Any plant growing close to the ground will inevitably have its nectaries rifled by ants, unless some safeguard be provided. The micro- scope reveals that the flowers, and even the stems, of Stylidiuwm bear a multitude of glandular hairs, minute short white threads crowned with a more or less spherical claret-coloured bead. This viscid barrage, then, debars the approach of climbing insects to the nectary, for the admirable mechanism of the flower is designed for an air-borne pollinator. Is the trigger tripped by every nectar-hungry insect that comes along? No, assuredly not! There are long regular intervals between the “firing ot the gun,’ and for a very excellent reason. If every visitor tripped the trigger the supply of pollen would quickly be exhausted, perhaps with little if any effect. If all the pollen grains matured simultaneously the chances of failure would be very considerably increased. There are, therefore, several bursts of ‘‘fire.”’ Nature, with her inexorable logic, has provided certain safeguards against such failures. Did I tell you there is a certain lapse of time before the “gun can be fired’ again? Just so, permit me to relate to you exactly how long it takes to reset the trigger. I have a watch before me and the time is 2 p.m. I touch the sensitive spot on the style, and thereby release the catapult that strikes a sphere I had arranged to receive the pollen. The style is very gradually pulled back to its “firing position.’ In 15 minutes it is again pressed close against the “safety catch.” You see, there is a splendid reason for the slow journey back—it is useless to fire a cannon when the ammunition is exhausted. During that 15 minutes interval another charge of pollen will be matured, and awaiting the arrival of Hxoneura hamulata to transport it to another flower. You see, one could be forgiven for believing that the trigger is motivated by reason. 2See Aust. Zool. Vol. xi, Part 2, pp. 76-95, 1947, for an account of the biology of related species. 57 20. EXPLANATION OF PLATE II. Flower of trigger-plant, Stylidium graminifolium, Swartz, wiih style released to strike the bee, Hxoneura hamulata Ckil. Note the position of the style. A five-petalled flower showing the movement of style in the striking position. Apex of the style with its four “packets” (anthers) of pollen, and fleshy “hairs.” ; A “hair” (enlarged), highly modified, resembles those of-the heath Family, Epacridaceae. Apex of the style, with effete anthers and furry stigma exposed. A normal four-petalled flower with its matured stigma. The serrated circlet of the throat-appendage is of silvery crystal flushed with amythestine colour. ’ Enlarged view of effete anthers and mature stigma. Front of head-capsule of bee, Exoneura hamulata Ckll. Portion of plant-stem with the “armed” larva of Hxoneura attached to the wall. Anther opening to expose the pollen. Pollen-grain when examined dry. Many of the subspherical grains had five germinal pores. A large percentage of the grains were smaller—mere empty shells. The “safety-catch” with its two ‘arms’ extended. Lateral view of the effete organ to show its attachment near the base of the style. Front view of the surface against which the style is pressed. Surface more highly magnified to show the colouring matter, chromoplasts, in the cells. The red-bodied bee, Parasphecodes hirtiventris Ckll. is polylectic in habit. Earthen cell of Parasphecodes with pollen-pudding and egg. A few of the pollen-grains were subquadrate, with only four germinal pores. A transverse section of ovary of Stylidium, showing the numerous ovules. One of the small white ovules. A composite pollen-grain, probably from yam, Microseris forsteri, Hook. f. Rear view of anthers and apex of style. One of the glandular hairs of the trigger-plant enlarged. 58 PLATE II. ~ I A Ld . ia F By as I Life-histories of Sub-species of Ialmenus ictinus Hewitson, 1865; with Descriptions of New Forms (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae) By EH. O. EDWARDS. (Menangle Park, N.S.W.) The Jalmenus genus of butterflies has caused considerable diffi- . culties in the past, mainly due to the different life-histories and habits of the various species producing apparently the same or similar butter- flies. Consequently, it seems evident that a study of the life-histories is necessary to clear up these difficulties. Rainbow, A Guide to the Study of Australian Butterflies, 1907, p. 147, writes that the J. ictinus pupa, “is usually found in clusters, enclosed in a common web, and this may be attached to the stem of its food plant or secured under bark.’ Waterhouse, What Butterfly Is That? 1932, pp. 191-192, stated that the life history is “‘somewhat like that of J. evagoras. Rarely more than two or three pupae are found together ... They usually pupate on the food plant; either on the branches, under the bark, or in the cracks in the trunk.” He later. p. 192, refers to “Another type of larva” that is attended by a different ant, and states, “It rarely pupates on the food plant; sometimes it is found at the entrance to the ants’ nest.” This latter I have not found locally to date. One of the difficulties in checking specimens and comparing them is that in many collections the life-histories are not recorded, and possibly few are actually bred. With the valuable aid of my son, Ted, we found that in this district of Menangle Park, on the southern outskirts of the Sydney metropolitan area, the larvae of J. ictinus showed distinctly different habits and divided themselves into three types. 1. Larvae that lived and pupated singly on their foodplant. ° 2. Larvae that were semi-gregarious and always pupated under bark or in the cracks at the butt of the foodplant. 3. Larvae that were entirely gregarious. With the exception of No. 1 life-history we could not find any consistent difference in the colour of the larvae and the pupae but in No. 1 life-history the larvae were paler in colour being a shade of dark green and the pupae brown with black wing cases. This no doubt is associated with protection as they feed and rest among the leaves and outer branches of their foodplant (Acacia decurrens). Althouga there may be a number of larvae on the one wattle they segregate. By breeding the different life-histories and keeping the resultant butterflies separate we found a slight consistent difference between types No. 1 and No. 2 and a more marked difference with No. 3. The next problem was: what was the life-history of the type- specimen named by Hewitson in 1865 and recorded from ‘Australia’? It is unlikely that one will ever be able to solve that problem with any degree of certainty, so it became necessary to compare an adult specimen with Hewitson’s illustration. As is so often the case the description given by Hewitson is very indefinite. For example, none of the males bred by us had the underside “pale rufous,’ but some of the females had. After examining the illustration of the underside it would seem that the butterflies from the No. 2 or semi-gregarious type were most like the illustration. Moreover, Hewitson’s description is far from clear. He does not refer to the difference in the colour of the central and basal area in the male and female above. He simply refers to them as “silver-blue or green” in the male and “much paler” in the female. From the underside illustration the narrowness of the 60 black markings suggests that it belongs to the semi-gregarious kind and I have acted on this decision in accepting the No. 2 type as Jalmenus ictinus ictinus. Recently Mr. A. N. Burns of the National Museum, Victoria, examined a large number of specimens of J. ictinus and compared them with specimens of J. schraederi from Mr. Macqueen of Milmerran in Queensland and the conclusion arrived at was that they were almost identical. From the illustrations given of these butterflies the under- sides compare with No. 2 Type. One of the principal variations in the three types concerns the width and prominence of the black markings on the underside of the wings. Dr. Waterhouse in What Butterfly Is That? does not refer to the width of these markings, although in his collection at the Aus- tralian Museum variation occurs in two outstanding specimens from the suburbs of Sydney. In Waterhouse and Lyell, The Butterflies of Australia, ictinus is described as Protialmenus ictinus, on the grounds that the venation differs, but it has been found this venation is not consistent and Waterhouse reverted to Jalmenus. However, the descrip- tion given in The Butterflies of Australia, of the underwings is, “markings typical, narrow, black narrowly and faintly edged whitish.” This description conforms also to the type we have bred from the semi-gregarious larvae, except that the shade of brown is not men- tioned. I offer the following description of J. ictinus: Ialmenus ictinus ictinus Hewitson, 1865. Male. Above: forewing medium brown; central area metallic green; narrow faint bar at end of cell, brown and distinct; cilia darker brown with tips whitish. Hindwing: Medium brown; a central area reaching base, metallic green; tornal spots black crowned with orange yellow; termen with a narrow inner line, whitish; cilia whitish. Beneath: forewing dull buff; narrow black markings narrowly and faintly edged whitish; a narrow subterminal band light brown edged with white with a chestnut brown inner-band edged with black around the termen. -Hindwing: buff markings as in the forewing, but sub- terminal band edged with faint white spots; tornal spots as above. Size 32 to 33 mm. Female. Above: forewing light brown; central area metallic mauve. Mark above cell brown. Hindwing as in the male but lighter brown margins and traces of a discal band of spots. Below: as in the male. Size 34 mm. The larvae of this butterfly are dark brown to almost black, with a black head and dark green or chocolate markings. They are attended by the meat ant (Jridomyrmez detectus) and, in the early stages, rest along the branches of their food plant Acacia decurrens (Black Wattle) in small companies of two or three, later descending to the butt of the tree to pupate under bark or in cracks. In colour the pupae aie dark brown with black wingcases. Ialmenus ictinus kooronyda, subsp. nov. (Kooronya is an aboriginal word meaning myself.) The male of this subspecies varies from the typical ictinus in that the brown on the underwings is dark and the metallic green is darker. On the underside the markings are slightly more prominent. Size: 32 mm. In the female, the central area above is metallic blue and not mauve, while the brown margins are the same shade of brown as the male of J. 1. ictinus. Size: 35 mm. I have selected as holotype a female (la 14) and as allotype (la 15) a male, both in the collection of my son, H. D. Edwards. The life-history varies, in that the larvae live and pupate singly among the leaves and outer branches. In colour they are dark green; 61 head black. The pupae are brown with black wing-cases. They were all bred on Black Wattle (Acacia decurrens). Although there are usually a number of larvae on the one bush they segregate. Ialmenus ictinus penunga, subsp. nov. (Penunga is an aboriginal word meaning tribe.) There is a distinct difference in this sub-species, but it is rare in this locality, Menangle Park, N.S.W. The male above is dark brown with the metallic central area the same shade of metallic green as J. i. kooronya. On the underwings the biack markings are broader and more distinct than in either ictinus or kooronya and the ground colour is buff. They are also larger, with the size 35 mm. to 37 mm. The female is rusty-brown above (in one female it is almost orange around the cell darkening to brown on the termen) with the central area mauve. On the underside, the females differ from the males in the ground colour being rufous—brown instead of buff, with the broader black markings as in the male. Size: 40 mm. I have selected as holotype a female, (la 4) and as allotype a male (la 1) in the collection of my son, EK. D. Edwards. The life history of this’ subspecies resembles that of JIalmenus evagoras. The larvae feed and rest together and are attended by the meat ant (Jridomyrmex detectus), but we have only bred them on Acacia melanoxylon (Blackwood). They form a web and pupate together like evagoras. They are dark brown or dark greenish-brown in colour. When first found we mistook the larvae for those of I. evagoras. Naturally the breeding of these butterflies had to be carried out in the field and my son found both J. i. ictinus and I. 1. kooronya breeding on black wattle on my property while J. i. penunga was found breeding only half a mile away on blackwood. When the larvae pupated on their foodplant they were removed to breeding cages. These had fine gauze fronts through which meat ants could not crawl; how- ever small black ants were able to squeeze in and they took charge of the pupae, collecting any old bits of leaves or caterpillar droppings, in fact any rubbish they could find inside the cages and stacked it round the pupae obviously in an attempt to form a byre over them. This is interesting in relation to the reference made by Dr. Waterhouse to a type of larvae attended by very small ants. In selecting aboriginal names for the subspecies I am following the commendable example of Mr. L. E. Couchman of Hobart. Thanks are due to Mr. A. Musgrave of the Australian Museum for his usual valued assistance. REFERENCES. Burns, A. N. (1951).—Notes on Australian Rhopalocera with Descrip- tions of New Subspecies and Life Histories. Mem. Nat. Mus. Vic- toria, No. AG Hewitson, W. C. (1865).—Illustrations of Diurnal Lepidoptera, Part ii, Lycaenidae, 54, pl. xxiv. MacQueen, J. (1947).—Notes on Two Species of Lycaenid Butterfiies. Proc. Ent. Soc. Q’land, April 14, 1947: 1-2. Roneoed. MacQueen, J. (1947).—Notes on Two Species of Australian Lycaenid Butterflies, Jalmenus ictinus Hewitson and Jalmenus _ sp.? (schraderi (Feld.)??). Q’land Nat., 13 (4) Aug.: 75-79. Rainbow, W. J. (1907).—A Guide to the Study of Australian Butter- flies. Waterhouse, G. A. (1932) i wnat Butterfly Is That? Waterhouse, G. A. and Lyell, G. (1914).—Butterflies of Australia. 62 ~The Foodplants of the Chequered Swallowtail, Papilio demoleus sthenelus Macleay, 1826 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae) By E. O. EDWARDS. (Menangle Park, N.S.W.) Dr. A. W. Scott in his Australian Lepidoptera, ii (4), 1893, p. 30, pl. xx, describes the life-history of Papilio sthenelus and gives the locality as Ash Island, Hunter River, N.S.W., and the food-plant as orange, Citrus aurantium. He also refers to the habit of the butterfly of roving over fields of blue lucerne and clover in the Hunter River district. His illustration shows the larva feeding on orange. W. J. Rainbow in his book, A Guide to the Study of Australian Butterflies, gives a full description of the instars of the larvae and records the foodplant as the cultivated orange, adding that they feed on Salvia in New Guinea. Dr. G. A. Waterhouse in What Butterfly Is That? states that. “During 1922 on the Richmond River it occurred in thousands; if a branch of an orange-tree was held up by the hand the females would lay their eggs on it.”’ He too mentions Salvia as a foodplant. Barrett and Burns, Butterflies of Australia and New Guwinea, record the food-plant as “species of Salvia,’ but add that they deposit eges on cultivated citrus and wild limes. In the Australian Zoologist, 11 (3), 1948, I wrote of my experiences in finding the food-plants of P. d. sthenelus, and that I could not persuade the larvae in western Queensland to feed on citrus nor did they breed on wild limes (Atlantia glauca). Their food-plants in the Mitchell district were species of Psoralea of the family Leguminosae. Usually the native food-plant and any introduced one that a butterfly may adopt, are closely allied, but with this butterfly there seems to be a wide difference as Salvia belongs to the family Labiatae, while Citrus belongs to Rutaceae. In addition, the native food-plants are not trees or shrubs, but small herbs. Psoralea patens creeps along the sandy beds of creeks and rivers; it has opposite leaves, branching into three ovate serrated leaflets. Psoralea tenax has different habits, and is quite unlike patens in appearance. It is commonly known as Native Lucerne or Emu Grass, and has something of the appearance of a grass; it occurs in moist areas, especially near billabongs, creeks and rivers, and usually grows in thick clumps. It has single leaves, divided into several narrowly lanceolate leaflets; each leaf growing direct from the ground on a tall stem, the length depending on the height of the surrounding growth. The growth of the food-plants accounts for the habit of the butterfly of skimming over the fields, while the larvae, many of which I reared in Western Queensland, have acquired a roving habit, since one larva would consume several plants before reaching maturity. The two species of Psoralea mentioned are confined to the Western areas of New South Wales and Queensland, and I cannot find any records of them from the neighbourhood of Sydney, even in the earlier days. No Psoralea is recorded by F. von Mueller from the neighbour- hood of Sydney, but Salvia plebeia is. Therefore, there is a native food-plant growing along the coastal areas where the butterfly is not common. Since the native food-plant’s growth would depend upon seasonal conditions, a good season would result in an increase of butterflies, while a following dry period would possibly account for the behaviour of the butterflies on the Richmond River in 1922. in Western Queensland this was not the case, as they would not feed on cultivated citrus, orange or lemon. The question is has anyone actually brea specimens on Citrus trees? 63 Since living at Menangle Park (36 miles south of Sydney) I have had the opportunity of watching the behaviour of P. d. sthelenus. it is never very common here, but several specimens were watched during 1953-54 in my garden, where they are attraited by cultivated lantana flowers growing within six feet of cultivated oranges, yet they have taken no interest whatever in the orange trees. This is unusual with any butterfly. REFERENCES. Barrett, C. and Burns, A. N. (1951).—‘‘Butterfl‘es of Australia and New Guinea.” Edwards, EH. O. (1948).—‘‘Notes on Butterflies of Western Queensland, ” Australian Zoologist, 11, (3), p. 225. Rainbow, W. J. (1907) —“A Guide to the Study of Australian Butter- flies.” Scott, H. W. (1893).—‘‘Australian Lepidoptera,’ Vol. ii (4), May 3:1, p. 30, pl. xx, female (Revised and edited by Helena Forde and A.S. Olliff). Waterhouse, Dr. G. A. (1932) —‘‘What Butterfly Is That?” Woolls, W. (1880).—‘Plants Indigenous and Naturalised in the Neighbourhood of Sydney.” Some Butterfly Notes from Port Macquarie, N. S. Wales, May, 1955 By E. O. EDWARDs. | Danaida affinis affinis, Fabricius, 1775. (Black and White Tiger.) A good specimen was caught by my son. This is a little south of its normal locality but many northern butterflies were recorded very much farther south than their normal range during 1955. Delias nigrina, Fabricius, 1775. (The Common Jezebel.) These were plentiful and it would seem that they have other food-plants besides Mistletoe, which was not common where the butterflies were abundant. Elodina egnatia angulipennis, Lucas, 1852 (Common. Pearl White), were common though most specimens were worn. Terias hecabe sulphurata, Butler, 1875 (Common Grass Yellow). Quite plentiful and mostly good specimens. Acraea andromacha, Fabricius, 1775. (The Glass-wing.) Very abun- dant, many laying their clusters of eggs on the. leaves of the climbing Native Passionfruit vines. Candalides erinus, Fabricius, 1775. (Small Dusky Blue.) Common around their food-plant, a species of Cassytha growing on the ridges overlooking the sea. Mr. R. Anderson of the Botanical Gardens advises that it is probably Cassytha pubescens but the specimen supplied was insufficient for certain identification. Thysonotis hymetus taygetus Felder, 1865. (Small Green-banded Blue.) Mainly worn females on the wing. Males scarce. Nacaduba lineata, Murray, 1874. (Hairy Lineblue.) Worn specimens were on the wing, mainly females. Nacaduba ancyra halys, Waterhouse, 1834. (Speckled Lineblue.) Oniy very worn specimens were caught. Ocybadistes flavovittata flavovittata Latreille, 1824. (Common Dart) and Ocybadistes walkeri sothis Waterhouse, 1933 (Yellow-banded Dart) not common. Hasora khoda haslia Swinhoe, 1899. (Large Banded Awl.) We were fortunate in securing a good specimen. Not common. Hypocysta pseudirius Butler, 1875. (Dingy Ringlet.) Quite common in the sheltered grassy areas. Hypolimnas bolina nerina Fabricius, 1775. (Common Hgegfly.) One male specimen was seen but not caught. 64 Notes on Australian Lycaenidae; Genus Ogyris (Azure Blue Butterflies ) By E. O. EDWARDS. (Menangle Park, N.S.W.) Recently during a visit to Wombeyan Caves, about 100 miles south- west of Sydney, I collected larvae and pupae of QO. olane and O. amaryllis from which I bred four specimens of olane and one of amaryllis. Ogyris olane Hewitson, 1862. Of those collected in April 1954 (Haster) the first butterfly emerged on 1st August. Emerging so early was a surprise, but it was slightly deformed. It was a male and unusually small, being only 32 mm. It was dissimilar to the race ocela Waterhouse, 1934. On 21st September another male emerged similar to the first but larger, being 34.5 mm. During a visit to Wombeyan Caves early in October 1954 I was dis- appointed that there were no butterflies on the wing, but it was a dry period there; however, I collected two pupae, one of which emerged soon after my arriving home on the 10th October. It was a female but did not resemble the race ocela. On the 11th November another male emerged, about average size for the inland race olane. All the butterflies were similar to the inland race of O. olane olane, and although the undersides were typically marked with black and grey there was no brown colouring beneath, even on the dorsum of the forewing. My son has specimens of O. olane ocela bred from larvae and pupae collected at Menangle Park and Luddenham near Penrith, N.S.W. | which are typical of the race ocela described by G. A. Waterhouse (Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., lix, Dec. 1934, p. 419) though the blue cell- markings on the underside of the forewing are less distinct and there are only four instead of five stripes. The type specimen of ocela is from Woodford on the Blue Mountains of NS-W., 2,000 ft. above sea level in sandstone country and about 45 miles in a direct line from the coast. Wombeyan Caves are about the same height above sea level: approximately 100 miles south-west of Sydney. In a direct line from the coast they would be about 48 miles, and about 50 miles south-south-west of Woodford, but in limestone country. At the Australian Museum, Sydney, the Ogyris butterflies were compared with specimens from various localities and States in Aus- tralia in Dr. Waterhouse’s collection. On the underside, they varied from any specimens except a pair from Glen Aplin which is 8 miles south of Stanthorpe in Queensland, and near the border of N.S.W. The Wombeyan Caves specimens and the Glen Aplin specimens are black and grey on the underside of the wings, without any trace of brown. The inland race of olane has a brownish tinge on the dorsum of the forewing beneath. Southern specimens have more brown areas on the underwing while the margins of the wings above are lighter in colour. More data are needed especially from granite or limestone country. This may, however, solve a problem that arose many years ago, when I first sent specimens of O. olane bred near Mitchell in Western Queensland to Dr. Waterhouse. They were found to be the Same as the type-specimen in the British Museum described by Hewitson in 1862, when there was practically no inland settlement in that district. It now seems possible that O. olane does occur under certain conditions nearer the coast. Ogyris amaryllis Hewitson, 1862. We have only succeeded in rearing one specimen of this butterfly; it was collected as a larva on 17th April 1954, and emerged on 10th 65 September 1954. This butterfly was an exceedingly small male; only 24.55 mm. compared with an average of 33 mm. in those bred at Menangle Park, otherwise it is typical of the race O. amaryllis amaryllis. It is not similar to amata, the Canberra race (Waterhouse, Proc? Ginn Soc. NaS Wey liselo 4 eae deg) Both at Menangle Park and Wombeyan Caves, amaryllis was bred on Loranthus linophyllus, a mistletoe growing on She Oaks (Casuarina), but in Queensland (Mitchell) the race meridionalis Bethune-Baker, 1905, was bred on the mistletoe, Loranthus miquelii, growing on Hucalyptus. A Note on Whether A. A. Girault‘s Privately Printed Leaflets are Scientific Publications in a Technical Sense By ARTHUR W. PARROTT. (Wakapuaka Road, Hira RD., Nelson, New Zealand ) Born in Annapolis, Maryland, U.S.A. in 1884, Alexandre Arsene Girault died in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia in 1941. He arrived in Australia in 1911 to take up the position of Entomologist, Bureau of Sugar Experimental Station, Queensland, where he remained until 1914, in which year he returned to America. In 1918 he returned to Australia, and was assistant Entomologist, Dept. Agriculture and Stock, Queensland, a position he held, with the exception of three years 1919 to 1923, until 1930. It was during the period 1923-30, that he published and distributed privately the majority of the leaflets which are the subject of the present note. This note is being published as a preliminary step to obtain the views of other workers in the groups concerned and to obtain as much information as possible on Girault’s work and conditions under which this work was carried, from those who knew him personally. It is intended later to ask the International Nomenclature Commission for a ruling on the validity of the names published by Girault in these privately printed leaflets. There appears to be some doubt, and I think for good reasons, whether Girault’s privately printed and distributed leaflets are publica- tions in the strict sense implied by the Rules of Nomenclature. Musgrave (1930) in his Bibliography of Australian Entomology, 1775-1930, states (p. 21): “In addition to the papers listed below, he (Girault) has produced a number of leaflets, privately printed in which are described new genera and species of Hymenoptera and Thysanop- tera. These leaflets are not publications in the technical sense and therefore do not come within the scope of this list.” A somewhat unique position arises in connection with the species described by Girault in these leaflets. The introduction which usually precedes the descriptions of new species, are, to say the least, unscien- tific. They expound the radical views of the author on life in general and women and institutions in particular, and would appear to have been written by a person who was under great mental stress. They would not have been accepted by any accredited scientific journal. Many of the new genera and species described in these leaflets were not listed in the Zoo'ogical Records, nor are some of the genera recorded by Neave (1939) in his “Nomenclator zoologicus.”’ In many cases the titles of the leaflets had no bearing on the entomological contents. In the Ichneumonidae one may cite for example three species of Pristomerus described by Girault. Pristomerus bicinctus was described in a recognised journal and there is no question as to the validity of this name (Queensland Agric. Journ. vol. 24, p. 540, 1925). P. atriceps was published in a leaflet entitled “Indication; 66 (in new insects) of Ruling Power and Law in Nature,” Brisbane, Qld., March 10, 1925, p. 2. The third species, P. atrifemur, was published in another leaflet which had the unimitated title, “An essay on when a fly is loveable, the ceremony of Baptizing some and unlovely hate,” Brisbane, Qlid., June 30, 1925, p. 4. From enquiries that have been made it seems very doubtful if a complete set of these leaflets is to be found in the possession of any institution or individual and, what is still more important, there does not appear to be any information as to the exact number of leafiets published in ths way. The Cawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand, received many of these leaflets, but due to the indelicacy of the intro- ductory matter, they were considered unsuitable for retention in the Library and many were destroyed. The same thing could possibly have happened in other institutions. When the author visited Brisbane two years ago, he was informed that neither the Queensland Museum nor the Agriculture Department, Queensland, possessed a complete set of these leaflets. Mr. G. Mack, Director, Queensland Museum, very kindly showed me a large box, which was kept in the basement of the museum, filled with duplicate copies of some of Giraults privately printed leaflets. These were not catalogued nor kept on the shelves of the museum library. In considering whether the generic and specific names appearing in these privately printed leaflets should be accepted as valid, the following premises may be cited:— (1) It is unlikely that the actual number of leaflets, privately printed and distributed by Girault is known, and as far as can be ascertained, a complete set is not in possession of any institution or individual. (2) According to Dr. E. F. Riek, Canberra, some of the leaflets were exposed for sale. Many, however, were not exposed for sale, as they had no price printed on them, nor any indication as to where they could be obtained. ‘ (3) In many cases the titles under which they were published had no bearing whatsoever on the entomological content of the leaflet. (4) In some of the leaflets the descriptions of new genera and species appear to have been a secondary consideration. The main reason for publishing and distributing these leaflets was apparently to expound the author’s views on life in general and other matters not in any way connected with entomology. (5) Some of the names brought forward by Girault in these leaflets — were not listed by the Zoological Records nor in Neave’s Nomenclator zoologicus. Musgrave (1930: 121) considered that these leaflets were not publications in the technical sense and therefore were not listed in his Bibliography of Australian Entomology, 1770-1930. (6) The descriptions of the Ichneumonidae published in these leaflets are extremely brief and without figures, and it would certainly be difficult to place them satisfactorily without the types. However in the case of this family the types of the majority of the species described by Girault are in satisfactory condition and are contained in the collections of the Queensland Museum. The author does not know the position with regard to the Chalcidoidea or the Thysanoptera described by Girault. Before submitting, therefore, the question of the validity of the names published by Girault, in these privately printed leaflets, to the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature for their ruling, it will be necessary to obtain the views of other workers in Australian Hymenoptera and Thysanoptera. In the author’s opinion the ruling contained in Article 25 of the “Regles’” does not clearly cover the rather unique position of these leaflets published privately by Girault. 67 A New Catfish from New Guinea By GILBERT P. WHITLEY, F.R.Z:S. (Contribution from The Australian Museum, Sydney) When making drawings of some little-known Australian freshwater fishes, I was unable to procure an Australian example of the catfish, Lambertichthys ater (syn. Neosilurus mediobarbis), so sketched a New Guinea specimen instead. There is nothing like drawing a specimen to reveal details and I soon found that the Sepik River subject I had chosen differed in fin-counts from the true “Lambertia atra” of Perugia (Ann. Mus. Civ. Genova (2) xiv, 1894, p. 551) from Inawe, eastern New Guinea. A new subspecific name is therefore proposed. Family PLOTOSIDAHE. Genus LAMBERTICHTHYS Whitley, 1938. Lambertichthys Whitley, Rec. Austr. Mus. xx, 1938, p. 223. Orthotype, Lambertia atra Perugia. LAMBERTICHTHYS ATER SEPIKENSIS, subsp. nov. Lambertichthys sp. Whitley, loc. cit., p. 233. Lambertichthys ater sepikensis Whitley, Proc. Roy. Zool. Soc. N. S. Wales, 1954-55 (1956), p. 44, fig. 4. D. i, 4. Caudodorsal plus caudal plus anal rays circa 135 to 140. A. 92 to 96. P. i, 10 to 12. V. 12 to 14. General facies as figured (loc. cit., 1956) and with the principal characters of the species as described by Weber & Beaufort (Fish. Indo-Austr. Archip. ii, 1913, p. 240, figs. 97-98) but differing thus: A. Anal rays 82 to 88. Caudodorsal plus caudal plus anal-:rays Crea: 120: vst te. cee ee as ee ee ae ome ere LL. atten, Geer AA. Anal rays 92 to 96. Caudodorsal plus caudal plus anal rays gE sae 0 al | ee ty 2 JA vent lo, nico Kets L. ater sepikensis The new subspecies grows to at least 21 inches in length. The Australian Museum, Sydney, houses the holotype (registered No. IA.7278) and two paratypes (IA.7279-80) from the Upper Sepik River, New Guinea (coll. Flight-Lieut. Stuart Campbell, R.A.F., in ILI). 68 THE MARINE ZOOLOGIST Vol. 1. No. 4. 1956 “THE MARINE ZOOLOGIST” Vou. 1. No. 4. (Incorporated with the Proceedings of the Royal Zoological Society ot N.S.W., 1954-55, published 10th April, 1956) Introductory Remarks In last year’s Vol. 1, No. 3, there was an interesting article cn the living animals of cowries by two of our members, Mrs. Rutland and Mrs. Kerslake. In this part we have a further article on the same subject by Mr. McCamley, and the fact emerges that the animal of Erronea caurica longior Iredale is fairly stable in the colouring; the papillae are described as being thick and mostly branched. If any member or reader could supply a sketch of the exact size shape and style of these papillae, this cowrie would be authentically settled for all time. Further information is required about living animals of any molluscs, especially volutes and cowries. If such information is accompanied by a sketch or painting, so much the better. Members, friends and those interested in such zoological work are asked to contribute when possible. Address all communications to:— Mrs. Lee Woolacott, Publishing Committee “Marine Zoologist,” C/- Royal Zoological Society of N.S.W., 28 Martin Place, Sydney. The Beauty of Living Molluscs By FRANK McCAMLEY. During my recent collecting trip, south of Gladstone in Queensland, I was most fortunate to observe various species of Cypraeidas in their live state. Members who have had this happy experience fully realise the attractive picture made when the animal’s mantle is fully extended. The following is a description of two different species of cowries and one volute. GRATIADUSTA WALKERI CONTINENS Cypraca walkert Sowerby, Conch. lus. pt. 5, F222, Oct. 26; 1832: %Car p. (2 Nove 9) ex Gray, VIS ]PersianG uli: Gratiadusta walkeri continens Iredale, Australian Zoologist, viii, 2Sth June 1935, p. 127, pl. ix; figs. 2, a, b. Queensland: Iredale (loc. cit.) remarks, ““A subadult specimen, herewith figured, was dredged off Lindeman Island and the animal figured. Mr. Mel- bourne Ward describes it thus: ‘Mantle transparent milk white, papillae few and very short... Tentacles... pale yellow... pro- boscis salmon pink’... .” Fully adult specimens taken alive by me revealed the animal to have a brilliant scarlet mantle, with a few bright yellow papillae. Foot red, the underfoot being of a lighter red, siphon red and light red tentacles. Eyes just a tiny black spot. Foot not extended beyond shell. It has been observed that the colouring is seldom truly established in juvenile specimens, and it is believed that there is considerable variation in the adults of various species of Cypraeidae. 70 ERRONEA CAURICA. Cypraea caurica Linne. Syst. Nat., 1758, xth ed., p. 723. No locality. The mantle of this animal was a milky-white, mottled closely with brownish grey with a number of fairly thick processes or papillae, mostly branched. The foot was a transparent milky-white, mottled with dark grey, giving a “pepper and salt” effect, and was extended as the animal moved, the underneath being transparent white. Siphon orange-pink, tentacles yellow and the eyes visible as mere black pin- spots. Departing from this most interesting family, I would like to describe the lovely animal of Voluta (Amoria) caroli Iredale, also collected alive by me on this same collecting holiday. The foot is opaque milky-cream and is well extended, about half an inch on either side and one and a half inches posteriorly when the animal crawls. This foot is brilliantly striped with rufous-tan on the dorsal surface. The underfoot is deep cream, the siphon tan. The tentacles are a light tan and the eyes are very tiny and a deep cream in colour. When the animal was withdrawn into the shell, the aperture was filled with a most attractive mass of tan and cream stripes. There is a great beauty in shells and added beauty in their animals. Truly they are one of the glories of nature. A New Genus of the Nassariidae Bya Gk) AnD J; ASERON. AUSTRONASSARIA SIMPLEX, gen. et sp. nov. An extreme or aberrant form of the Nassariidae characterized by a Shell nearly cylindrical in mid-section, surmounted by a low, broadly conical spire of three whorls. The protoconch is small, of 14 whorls, inflated, smooth, white and vitreous. Early whorls white, the bodv- whorl pale yellow with ochre in the interstices of the axial ribs. Body-whorl nearly cylindrical above, swollen and rounded below. Sculpture of a few broad axial ribs, 12 to the whorl, separated by Shallow interstices, and swelling above into broad, low bosses at the suture, and similarly below at the periphery. The whole of the base smooth and highly polished. Aperture relatively small, round, the outer margin thickened, smooth, inner margin regularly arcuate, also (A smooth. Columella broad and smooth, obliquely arcuate adjoining the aperture. Canal broad, rounded, shallow and open. Length 10 mm., width 6.5 mm. Locality —6-9 fathoms, Sow and Pigs Reef, Port Jackson, New South Wales. Remarks.—The unique and extraordinary form of this shell at first sight suggested some abnormality, and it was not-until a second specimen was procured from the Queensland coast that the authors were satisfied that the novelty is definitely constant. The type was collected from material dredged by the ‘‘Triton” from the west channel at Sow and Pigs Reef, and there is no certainty of the depth below the harbour bed at which it was procured. This locality is very close to the east channel, where previous dredgings by the ‘‘Triton” procured so many strange, exotic molluscan types, some of which appear to be definitely extinct. The type has been presented to the Australian Museum. Notes on Australian Shells No. 1 By LEE WOOLACOTT. Family CONIDAHE. Genus VIRROCONUS Iredale, 1930. VIRROCONUS IMPERATOR, Sp. NOUV. (Figure 3) After much checking of literature and the study of a great number of cone shells, I have decided that the specimen here described is sufficiently distinct from any other cone to merit a name of its own. It is a very striking shell in appearance and would appear to have but one other which resembles it in any way, this is Conus roseus Lamarck, a West Indian Shell. As roseus of Lamarck has disappeared in the synonymy of Conus regius cardinalis Hwass, 1792 (in) Bruguiere (see Clench, 1942) and as the new species in no way resembles Conus regius, or any varieties of regius, it is obvious that though they may appear similar in literature, they are not so in fact. The shell is of medium size, 40 mm. high by 25 mm. wide at the periphery. Spire 8 mm.: high, consisting of 8 whorls and 2-whorled protoconch. The body-whorl is encircled by 22 to 30 small ridges which are about 1 mm. apart. In some instances these ridges are absent towards the top of the body whorl, but in all cases they become stronger and more regular basally. The spiral ridge-ribbing is a very important diagnostic feature of this species and so fuller details follow. Towards the top of the body-whorl] these ridges are usually pale. cream or a very pale salmon colour, and on rare occasions, a very light mauve. All these spiral ridges above the median light band are of pastel tints and carry delicate, small chestnut spotting. Occasionally this spotting is irregular in shape and size, but it increases in fre- quency towards the base and in many cases the spots run together into interrupted chestnut lines which become purple-black below the median light band. The ground colour of the shell is a very distinctive pinkish-brown, most evident in slightly worn specimens. The ground colour deepens through red-brown to purple-black at the base, and at no period is there any touch of yellow. The yellow-browns of Virro- conus lividus and its near relations separate them into quite a different colour group. The median light coloured band is about 2/10 in. wide, of a bluish-mauve or very light salmon-pink. The spire is neat, of § 72 whorls, each whorl bearing about 12 cream-white nodules of medium dimensions. Between these nodules are rich patches of colour varying from a dark chestnut to purple-black, forming an almost continuous line on the body whorl but broken up into “pits” on the earlier spire whorls. The three apical whorls and the protoconch are light salmon- pink. Sculpture on the spire whorls consists of three rather weak spiral ridges to each whorl faintly crossed by rather obsolete growth striae, The periostracum is thick, strong, somewhat coarse and of 2 dark brown colour. A small colony of these cones was found ut Trinity Bay, Queensland in August 1949. Holotype presented to the Australian Museum, Reg. No. 61858. Paratypes from Trinity Bay, 10 in my possession; from Fitzroy Island, Queensland, 1 in Mrs. Kerslake’s collection and 1 in mine. Family NATICIDAE. Genus NATICARIUS Dumeril, 1806. NATICARIUS LAVENDULA Sp. Nov. (Figures 1 & 4) This small naticoid is very richly and variously patterned and so is difficult to describe in full, but the rich lavender columella makes identification easy. When taken alive the very fine onion-skin perio- stracum is an additional help. Size of shell 12 mm. high by 15 mm. wide. A little wider than high, of 4 whorls and a protoconch of 14 whorls. The body whorl is extremely large, the other 3 whorls being about 1/6th of total height. The protoconch is a clear golden-brown. The ground colour is white or bluish-white, patterned all over with longitudinal streaks of dark reddish-chestnut; these streaks may run together in blotches but usually they form a network leaving small white ‘‘tents” or rectangles. At the top of each whorl, just below the suture, the patterning shows a tendency to banding. This band is broad, white and marked with chestnut arrow-heads. Centrally on the body whorl a band of white heart-shaped or tent-like patches is quite conspicuous; but the general overall appearance is of a small brown shell with a few white flashes. The umbilical cavity is of medium length, narrow, brownish-purple in colour and forms a small pit behind the columella callous. The columella calious is of a rich lavender colour, sometimes with a slight brown tinge. All round the umbilical area and within the aperture there is a tinge of lavender. A pale band encircles the umbilical cavity. The operculum is sulcate, bearing about 12-16 grooves and showing 2 or more growth-lines. The growth-lines are of a most delicate pale blue in colour. The nuclear area of the operculum is raised in a prominent half-moon boss. Natica violacea Sowerby has a mauve columella and callous, but there the resemblance ends, the shape and style of umbilical cavity, callous and columella being utterly different. In violacea the spire-whorls are remarkably obscure and the sutures have a very ragged edge. N. violacea is quite a solid, white shell with five rows of golden-brown lunar spotting, and it is men- tioned for comparison purposes as it is the only small naticoid so far recorded which has a purple columella and ‘callous. The new Naticarius is from Brampton Island, Queensland, and was found in July 1949. Holotype presented to the Australian Museum, Reg. No. 61859. Paratypes: 5 from Brampton Island and 3 from Bowen, Queensland, in my possession. Dien. wy \N Bee See page 75 for Explanation of Plate. 74 NOTOCOCHLIS LUCULENTUS (Iredale). (Figures 2 & 5) An illustration of Natica luculenia Iredale appeared in the Records of the Australian Museum XVII, Sept. 4, 1929, p. 179, pl. xl, fig. 10. it is not always possible to obtain these Records today, and as the operculum was unknown at that time, a short description with an illustration of the shell and the operculum, Figs. 2 and 5, is given here to assist collectors. So far as I know the shell is rare and from deep water; the holotype from 50-60 fathoms off Montague Island, N.S.W., and my specimen, alive, was trawled in 40 fathoms ‘off Botany Bay and measured 18 mm. x 16 mm., smaller than the original. The shell is thin, very globose, of 6 whorls. The ground colour is cream and there are numerous rows of small chestnut splashes. The umbilical cavity is half-moon shaped with a small central boss arising from the very thin and narrow columella. A thin callous glaze extends to the outer lip. The operculum is thin and cream in colour, showing regular, very fine growth striae. At the nuclear area it is slightly roughened and sunken. The outer edge which fits against the outer lip is bent upwards at the first deep groove and is further slightly inclined at the second groove. This upward flange makes a very tight fit within the aperture. The opercular characters show that this small Naticoid should be placed under the genus Notocochl's. I wish to thank Mrs. V. Rooke for a long series of Cones from Fitzroy Island Queensland, also Mr. T. Iredale for his assistance and advice. REFERENCES. Bruguiere, J. G. (1792) —EHncycl. Meth., Vers, i. Clench, W. J. (1942).—The genus Conus in the Western Atlantic Johnsonia 6, Dec. 5. Iredale, T. (1929).—Rec. Aus. Mus. xvii, p. 179, pl. xl., fig. 10. Lamarck, J. B. (1822).—Hist. Nat. Anim. s. Vert. vii, p. 458. Reeve, L. (1943-49).—Conch. Icon. i. Sowerby, G. B. (1858-66).—Thes. Conch. iii. Sowerby, G. B. (1882-87) —Thes. Conch. v. EXPLANATION OF PLATE. Naticarius lavendula. Operculum x 2. Notocochlis luculentus. Operculum x 2. Virroconus imperator. Type x 2. Naticarius lavendula x 2. Notocochlis luculentus x 2. Sh: ace aaa A Northern Australian Volute By Tom IREDALE. Mr. Melbourne Ward collected a quantity of shells, beach material, at Boucaut Bay, eastern side of the mouth of the Liverpool River, Mid Arnhem Land, North Australia. This material inculded many valves of two bivalves, whose facies was unfamiliar, and these proved to be representatives of two groups, not previously recognised among the large collections made on the north-eastern coast of Australia. It is known that Torres Strait divides two distinct faunulas, that of the west being known as the Dampierian Region, a subdivision of the Solanderian Regon. The latter eastern faunula is further subdivided into the Solanderian Province, restricted, and the Banksian Province. All are sections of the huge Indo-Pacific Area, the Solanderian showing more affinity with the Pacific forms, the Dampierian leaning to the Indian section, but forming quite a distinctive minor subsection. The Volutes of the Dampierian are intriguing as there is a group Amoria which is well represented by a number of closely related species, well defined, but suggesting only subspecific status. There are other groups of Volutes also, such as Cymbiola, Aulica and Volutoconus. These were indicated by Hedley (Proc. Linn. Soc. -N.S.W., Vol. xxxix, p. 723, 1915), the first named including nivosa and its associates, the second flavicans with its allies, the last named having as type coniformis, to which bednalli was allotted, probably incorrectly. The species here dealt with would come under Aulica, of which aulica is the type. Many dead specimens were in the Boucaut Bay material, and these were recognised as the form, known locally as tissotiana, a rare species. Upon checking this name a curious history was disclosed. In 1867, Crosse (Journ. de* Conch, Vol. xv. p:; 195; pl. Vi, fig: 1, April) had described the species, without definite locality, but stated that the type had been a long time in the collection of M. de Robillard, of Mauritius, whence it had recently passed into the possession of M. Tissot, after whom it was named. Apparently the locality was Mauritius or the neighbourhood, but certainly not Northern Australia, which at that time was quite inaccessible. The acceptance of the name tissotiana, was due to Brazier, who wrote to Crosse, that specimens had been collected near the Liverpool River, Arnhem Land, during the. expedition into that territory by Captain Cadell. Crosse reported this identification (made by Brazier from the figure only) (Journ. de Conch, Vol. xix, p. 297, Oct., 1871) and it has been accepted since. There has been doubt as specimens in the Australian Museum from the North Alligator River had been identified as mariaemma, and others from north-west Australia as flavicans var signifer. The last named had been described by Broderip (Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.) 1847, p. 232) from the Ind. Oceano orientale? from the Cuming Collection received from Dr. Dalen of Rotterdam, said to have come from the Hast Indies. The Volute, named mariaemma by Gray (Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.) 1859, p. 230, pl. 48) came from Singapore, and was renamed grayae by Crosse (Journ. de Conch, Vol. xix, p. 287, 1871) who objected to the name selected by Gray on grounds of purism only. This seems to be a different species. However the Australian specimens while having a superficial resemblance to the Mauritius tissotiana do not completely agree, and moreover signifer would seem to have priority as well as locality preference. Cotton (Rec. South Aust. Mus., Vol. ix, pp. 181- 196, pls. xiii-xvi, May 31, 1949) published some notes on the Australian Recent and Tertiary Volutes and figures tissotina (sic) from North Australia, commenting “Cymbiola scafa and C. tissotina are probably nodular and smooth forms of the same species,’ figuring scafa on pl. xill, fig. (7) and. fissotina on pl. xii, fig: (2). The numerous specimens of the smooth shell, so far, have never shown any signs of intergradation, and may be regarded as a distinct species which may be named. AULICA QUAESITA, Sp. NOV. The shell is of medium size, stout, spire medium, about half the breadth, smooth with four strong plicae. Coloration of a dead shell is whitish, but the living shell is cream, marked with red brown, a row of blotches below the suture, irregular markings in an interrupted band about the middle of the whorl, a similar band of red streaks lower. The type is the larger specimen figured, the smaller figure is of a more boldly marked younger shell. There are four adult whorls, succeeding a flattened apical tip of about three smooth whorls, the initial tip very small. The whorls are gently rounded, sutures marked, the body-whorl comprising the bulk of the shell. The aperture is about three-quarters the length of the shell, at first narrowly oval with the outer lip thin, then broadening, the outer lip expanding and thickening, the canal broad, open. Outer lip sinuate posteriorly, semi-canaliculate. Inner lip slight. Length 82 mm.; breadth 45 mm.; spire 22 mm. Holotype and paratype in the Australian Museum, Sydney. Figure 1.—Aulica quaesita Iredale. Left, paratype; right, holotype, from Boucaut Bay, Northern Territory. G. C. Clutton photo. 77 An Octopus Delicacy and Other Marine Tidbits By PHILLIP COLMAN. Recently, whilst cleaning some shell “finds,’ I thought it a great waste to throw such good sea-food away, and decided that, from now on, I would look forward to shell-collecting, not only for the Cabinet but for the Kitchen as well. Below are the results. OCTOPUS AU CASSEROLE. Ingredients :— 3 medium-sized octopuses 6 large abalone (Notohaliotis ruber) Sufficient mashed potatoes, plus chopped parsley, to cover dish Pulp of 4 tomatoes Onion, thyme, small amount of carrot 1 fresh mullet Butter sauce Method: C.ean well:and pressure-cook octopuses for 6-7 ininutes, after which the skin and suckers will readily scrape clean with a knife. Slice about one-tenth of an inch thick and beat until nearly pulp. (Special metal meat tenderising mallets may be bought which are very good.) Next cut, trim and clean foot of the abalones, slice into 4-5 round wafers and beat well. Place the prepared octopuses, half the abalones, the tomato pulp, sliced onion, thyme, salt and pepper in casserole dish and simmer for about 24 hours in a moderate oven, adding water when necessary. Take out, cover liberally with mashed potatoes and brown. While potatoes are browning, take the other half of the abalones, roll in milk and breadcrumbs, and quickly brown in hot fat. Place these over the potatoes and sprinkle lightly with milk, then place back in oven for a minute. While ingredients are simmering, pressure-cook mullet for five minutes, bone and mince very finely. Add to the butter sauce and heat. This is to be served as a sauce with the casserole. Truly a dish for the gourmet. Notohaliotis ruber, which used to be called “Mutton Fish” by old N.S.W. fishermen, can be prepared in a number of ways. Although a bit tough, they can be eaten raw, when they have, to my palate, a taste remarkably like boiled eggs. Again, they can be sliced thin, dipped in batter and cooked like fish; or diced finely and cooked as fritters. Still again, though they have to be tenderised first, they can be placed in white sauce like oysters, or served with tomato and worcestershire sauce as a “Marine Cocktail.” The common sand “pipi,’ Plebidonax deltoides, is another molluse which goes well with a white sauce. It can also be made into a “clam” chowder, using potato as the thickening agent. Verco, in his book “Combing the Southern Seas” says, ‘Scallops eaten with pepper, salt and vinegar are exquisite. Put in a lid on top of the stove, they die almost at once and the valves open. Then they stew in the salt water already contained in the shell, until it is nearly all exhausted, when they are taken off, the mantle removed (for this is rather thin and tough), and they are eaten hot with a little pepper and vinegar”... By substituting Pipi for Scallop, ignoring the remark about removing the mantle, but otherwise following instruc- tions, I found a very nice fish dish awaiting me. All shell-fish make good soup-stock, even the water that periwinkles have been boiled in may be used this way. This is as far as I have gone, but I feel that I have only just touched the fringe of what can be done to bring our molluscs to the Australian table. 78 Most shell-fish are edible, though a little discrimination may be used and nothing should be eaten from polluted waters. The “look” of certain molluscs may be misleading, but there is one that I don't think I will ever be able to eat, and that is the Umbrella shell, Umbraculum botanicum. The Wedding Whirl of the Soldier-Fish Soldier-fishes of the genus Apogon and allied genera carry their eggs in their mouths, a phenomenon known as “oral gestation” or “buccal incubation.’ Some other fishes do this too: certain catfishes, the burramundi (Scleropages) and the mouth-breeders well known to aquarists. This peculiar habit in a soldier-fish, Apogon guentheri (now Vincentia novaehollandiae) was first discovered in Sydney by J. D. Ogilby who, in November 1888, exhibited before the Linnean Society of New South Wales a fish “whose mouth was crammed with ova, suggesting the possibility of this species having contracted the habit . Of hatching out the ova in the pharynx .. .” It is only recently that the method of reproduction and incubation has been studied from life, in the case of a European species, Apogon imberbis, by Garnaud (Bull. Inst. Oceanogr. 977, 1950, pp. 1-10, figs. 1-7) at Monaco. One of Garnaud’s figures is slightly modified here and his account, which should be enjoyed in the original French, is con- densed thus: The fishes’ ‘“ronde nuptiale’” proceeded as follows. Two fish turn slowly, side by side, the male, at the interior of the circle, slightly “unwedged” in front. The sides of the body are tightly pressed together, blocking the internal pectoral fins. The rotation is anti- clockwise. The left ventral fin of the female is fully extended as a spout under the genital pore of the male. The anal fin of the male, spread horizontally, vibrates rapidly under the genital pore of the female, which is greatly distended and projecting. (Figs. la and 1b). This manoeuvre may last nearly a minute and ends with a vibra- tion of all the body in both fishes. No eggs are laid in the course of this nuptial pirouette, contrary to all expectation. By this device, it appears that there is internal fertilization, something which represents an unique case in bony fishes. The milt, collected at its origin by the ventral fin of the female, thence conducted and disseminated under the belly of the female by the vibrating anal fin of the male, suffices to impregnate the roe. These couplings are renewed a few times or not at all, over several days. They seem to become less ardent. In a little while the female continually hunts the male and encourages him, with determina- tion, to repeat the former circlings without interruption. The male submits and seems to produce more of a self-control than a sustained ardour. The couple furiously chase anything approaching, immediately to resume their more and more frequent circlings. Such a pertinacity, some little “hallucination,” sufficiently indicates that something happens to produce the unexpectedly sudden transmission of the eggs. All of a sudden, the female ejects the complete mass of her eggs, which the male immediately gulps into his mouth. But this compact and voluminous mass of eggs is difficult to settle in the expanded mouth- cavity of the male. He works it into shape, quickly, returns it, coughs it up and gulps it without desisting for a moment. This hard work takes long minutes, during which, with his head turned at an angle he must defend himself from the attacks of other, obviously attracted, fishes. The female defends him energetically and does her best to chase the curious ones. Finally the male Apogon has installed his brood in a convenient fashion and regains all his composure. He resumes his accustomed station, in company with the female, now rid of her eggs. 79 The sudden del very of the egg-mass to the male-—seized greedily, like long-coveted prey—confirms the internal fertilization, observed at the moment of the nuptial circling. Apogons carrying eggs are commonly christened “pelicans.” They are easily recognisable by the alteration of their profile. Garnaud goes on to say how the breathing of the “pelican” oxygenates the eggs, and that the fish does not feed during his incubating. About the seventh day the male gets rid of the eggs, whose attachments are destroyed, and the embryos develop in the discarded and now broken mass of eggs. The male then resumes feeding, but if another female comes along he will accept another batch of eggs from her, and there is a possibility of many successive breedings. It seems likely that Australian Apogonidae may ‘have similar breeding habits and any observations on such fishes would be worth reporting. G. P. Whitley. anal of a ventral of 2 Figure 1—MThe wedding whirl of the European Soldier-fish, Apogon imberbis. A, from below; B, from the fronf. Modified from Garnaud. 80 History of New South Wales Shells Part 1: Cook and His Associates By Tom IREDALE. Captain James Cook, R.N., F.R.S. (1728-1779) A medallion in old Wedgwood ware [Block by courtesy of the Australian Museum, Sydney| As generations pass into history so do the beginnings become fainter and more indistinct, but with the advent of printing, human knowledge became crystallized and, fortunately, numerous records were made which have survived. Australia is not so fortunate as Hurope in the possession of these old records, although many relating to our own early history are preserved in several of our libraries, and from these we may now begin to build up a chronological history. It is regrettable, but true, that in less than two hundred years it has become difficult to present a clear picture, in part owing to our separation from the early culture of the northern world, and partly io inadequate records. The earliest Huropeans to visit this land reached our western shore and, it is to be presumed, were too busy to collect shells with any idea of their study. Whatever they may have taken back to their northern homes is now entirely lost to recognition. Of the European visitors to the west, the best known are the Dutch who examined the whole of the western area from the Gulf of Carpentaria in the north to Nuyts Archipelago in the southern Great Australian Bight, calling all that portion of Australia ‘New Holland,” which was later used to include the east coast as well. The Englishman Dampier, who visited western Australia at the end of the seventeenth century, may have collected shells, but as no mention has been made of such in any accounts of his travels, the possibility may be ignored. The history of Australian shells, therefore, can truly be said to begin with Cook’s famous first voyage, and as he first landed at Botany Bay, New South Wales, in 1770, this State has the honour of its shells being the first made known to the scientific world. Captain James Cook was a great navigator but he was not a naturalist. He was interested, in the present case, because he had on board the Hndeavour two great naturalists, Mr. (afterwards Sir) 81 Joseph Banks and Dr. Daniel Solander. Both these gentlemen were keen botanists, Solander being also a general naturalist. Banks was a wealthy young man who made the trip at his own expense and, consequently, his collections were his own property. Solander was a favourite pupil of Linne (the great lawgiver of the scientific world) and had an excellent knowledge of botany, birds, shells and other animals large and small. He was the paid tutor, assistant and friend of Banks, and to him are due all the notes on animal life, though these have been credited to Banks and even to Cook. Discussing the findings of the day in their cabin, Cook and probably aiso Cook's ‘‘writer”’ .(the name used for a secretary in those days) were present, and recorded the naturalists’ results in the “log” or report to the Admiralty. This log has become famous and is known as “Captain Cook's Journal.’’ Two, three or more copies were made of the journal under Cook’s instructions. Cook had to furnish a report to the Admiralty at the first opportunity of forwarding it, in this case, when he came to Batavia. In the earliest copy no name was given to “Botany Bay,” but in the second copy “Stingray Bay” appears, and this name is given on the earliest charts. Later a change was made to Botanist’s Bay and later still the alteration to the world-famous Botany Bay took place. It must be remembered that the clean, corrected copies of the log were made in London after the voyage had been completed. Cook's companions made collections of shells in the area now known as Botany Bay, but owing to the fact that these place names, as also that of New South Wales, were unborn at that date, the habitats of these first-collected New South Wales shells appear in contemporary literature as New Holland, South Seas or Isles of the Pacific, or even New Zealand. New Zealand had been visited earlier and had been named and probably some similarity in the sound of the name caused confusion or maybe to the stout and trusty mariners of those days New Zealand was “close” enough to Australia as to make no difference. Some of the officers and men of the Endeavour, parrot-like, collected shells and sold them on their return, and these commonly had no locality save South Seas. Soon after the Hndeavour reached England quite a number of specimens went to the Continent, and these were illustrated in large books on shells. In Cook's journal there are a few remarks which cast a very interesting sidelight on the shells of Botany Bay, as follows:—‘There were six canoes and six small fires near the shore, and Muscles roasting upon them, and a few oysters laying near.’ Again:—‘“There were small fires and fresh Muscles broiling upon them; here likewise lay vast heaps of the largest Oyster Shells I ever saw.’ Further:—‘In the morning I had sent Mr. Gore, with a boat, up to the head of the Bay to drudge for Oysters.’ And this very discerning statement, “On the sand and mudbanks are Oysters, Muscles, Cockles etc., which I believe are the chief support of its inhabitants.” It may be as well to note here that the aborigines were great shell collectors, but solely for food. Those tribes which lived near or visited the sea shores have left memorials of their feasts in huge accumulations of broken and burnt shells which are known as “kitchen middens”; a name used in the Northern hemisphere for the rubbish tips adjacent to the houses. Investigating the aborigines’ middens it is seen that no selection of shell life was made save in size. Any shell animal was consumed if it were large enough to be worth breaking, and such small items as ‘“‘periwinkles‘’ (favourites in Europe) were completely ignored. Banks’ collections, with the exception of his botanical specimens, were distributed as he willed, being his private property. At that time 82 the British Museum was in its infancy, but there were several private museums belonging to the aristocracy which were of great importance, and to these private museums went most of the Banksian treasures. Hence, to find the fruits of the Botany Bay collections, it is neces- sary to search through the records of these private museums. We are assisted in this by the learned Dr. Solander who was very interested in shells and was using the Duchess of Portland’s magnificent collec- tion. The Duchess of Portland had accumulated a wonderful museum which was sold by auction upon her death, but what we are concerned with most is that a very important and comprehensive catalogue of the contents was issued prior to the sale in 1787. In this catalogue the shells are named from Solander’s MS., which was never published, though it is fortunate that, in order to make these names intelligible to the would-be purchasers, references and figures were cited in some cases. These Solander names were made use of by many writers and became common property, although, of course, they have no value until determined by some later usage. An English artist named Martyn was so taken by the beauty of shells brought back from Cook’s voyage that when he published his “Picture Book of Shells” he included several very beautiful paintings of them. Martyn devised a new scheme which was arranged as an index only, but here again, through misadventure, and despite the fact that one hundred and sixty plates were issued, the new scheme was not adequately developed and only the index, full of errors and inconsistencies, was given to the public. For some years the names appearing in his index were accepted, but more recently they have been rejected, apparently quite correctly. In the main, this is of little account as Martyn’s names were mostly used by Gmelin in his revised edition of Linne’s Systema Naturae and so not all were lost and Martyns glorious paintings will always be referred to with great pleasure by conchologists. An EHnglish dealer by the name of Humphrey or Humphries secured many shells from someone who had been on Cook’s ship, and these were sold to collectors on the Continent, such as Spengler. Martini described specimens from Spengler’s collection, also some articles were written about these shells in a periodical called Die Naturforscher published in Halle, Germany. From all the foregoing sources it is possible to draw up a small but recognisable list of shells collected by Cook’s associates, as follows:— Oyster, Rock, Sazxostrea commercialis (Ired. & Roughley). - Oyster, Mud, Ostrea angasi Sowerby. Sydney Cockle, Anadara trapezia (Deshayes). Mussel, Mytilus obscurus Dunker. Mussel, Hairy, Trichomya hirsuta (Lamarck). Sea Ear, Haliotis ruber Leach. Noddiwink, Nodilittorina tuberculata (Menke). Conniewink, Bembicium melanostoma (Gmelin). Sydney Whelk, Pyrazus ebeninus (Bruguiere). Cart-rut shell, Dicathais orbita (Gmelin). Bubble Shell, Bullaria botanica Hedley. Sydney Turban, Ninella torquata (Gmelin), formerly Ninella staminea (Martyn). Warrener, Subninella undulata (Martyn), formerly anguis (Gmelin). Australwink, Austrocochlea obtusa (Dillwyn). 83 LIST OF MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF N.S.W. AS AT 1st JULY, 1955 PATRON: His Excellency the Governor, Lieutenant-General Sir John Northcott, KC CAMEGs KCGiv-0.) C28: VICE-PATRONS: Sir Phillip Wooleott Game, K-@:B. KCI. Ge 1G.Cy.0:,; G.B Es Dis. Os Langham House, Ham Common, Surrey, Eng’and. The Right Honourable Sir John Greig Latham, G.C.M.G., 83 Rau St., Armadale, Victoria. 3 ENDOWMENT MEMBER: Sir Edward Hallstrom, K.B., F.R.Z.S., 462 Willoughby Rd., Willoughby. ASSOCIATE BENEFACTORS: Littlejohn, Albert, c/o Australian Club, 165 Macquarie St., Sydney. Thomas, John, Hstate of Late, Shell Harbour, N.S.W. Walter & Eliza Hall Trust, Box 130CC, G.P.O. Sydney. Weingott, Mr. L., 76 Clarence St., Sydney. FELLOWS: Allan, Miss Joyce K., Australian Museum, Sydney. Barrett, Charles, ““Maralena,’ Maysbury St., Elsternwick, Victoria. Chisholm, A. H., c/o Angus & Robertson, Castlereagh St., Sydney. Cotton, Bernard Charles, South Aust. Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, S.A. Glauert, L., Western Australian Museum, Perth, W.A. Halloran, Aubrey, 28 Martin Place, Sydney. Halloran, Dr. Garnet, 143 Macquarie St., Sydney. Hallstrom, Sir HE. J., 462 Willoughby Rd., Willoughby. Hindwood, Keith A., Wingello House, Angel Place, Sydney. Iredale, Tom, “Solander,’ Queenscliff Rd., Manly. Kinghorn, J. R., Australian Museum, Sydney. Gaseron,.C. Ey. 15 Enllst.. Marrliehie McGill, Arnold R., 119 Wollongong Rd., Arncliffe. Musgrave, Anthony, Australian Museum, Sydney. Pope, Miss Elizabeth, 36 Kameruka Rd., Northbridge. Rayment, Tarlton, Bath St., Sandringham, Victoria. Roughley, Theodore Cleveland, Coolong Rd., Vaucluse. Troughton, Ellis Le Geyt, Australian Museum, Sydney. Ward, Melbourne, Gallery of Natural History and Native Art, Medlow Bath, N.S.W. Whitley, G. P., Australian Museum, Sydney. Zeck, EK. H., Entomological Branch, Dept. of Agriculture, Box 36, G.P.O., Sydney. HONORARY MEMBERS: Allan, Miss Joyce K., F.R Z.S., Australian Museum, Sydney. Davies, M. S., 26 O'Connell St., Sydney. Dunbabin, Thomas, c/o Aust. High Commissioner, Ottawa, Canada. 84 Hvatt, The Hon. Clive, 121 Macquarie St., Sydney. Fairfax, Vincent, 850 New South Head Rd., Double Bay. Iredale, Tom, F.R.Z.S., “Solander,’ Queenscliff Rd., Manly. Shipway, Phillip, 1383 Pitt St., Sydney. Stiffe, R. J., 350 George St., Sydney. LIFE MEMBERS: Allman, Stuart Leo Wynne, 42 Premier St., Neutral Bay. Baxter, Mrs. D., 35 Station St., Crows Nest. Bright, James L., 49 Victoria St., Waverley. Buckle, Frank, 104 Hunter St., Sydney. Campbell, Joseph Owen, Clump Point, via El Arish, Nth. Queensland. Comtesse, Capt. D. L., No. 3 Flat, Bardsley Garden, North Sydney. Crommelin, Miss Minard F., Warra Sanctuary, Pearl Beach via Woy Woy. Dellow, Walter Joseph, 32 Allibone St., Ashfield. Dew, Miss Barbara, 16 Wallaroy Rd., Double Bay. Dixson, Robert Craig, 33 Hunter St., Sydney. Duff, Miss Elizabeth Hleanor, 460 Burwood Rd., Belmore. Ewings, Nita, 50 Fullers Rd., Chatswood. Friend, Alfred Harry, c/o Entomology Branch, Dept. of Agriculture, P.O. Box 36, Sydney. Goddard, William Strickland, 4 Lennox St., Mosman. Golding, Miss M., 2 Broderick St., Balmain. Halloran, Aubrey, O.B.EK., B.A., LL.B., F.R.Z.S., 28 Martin Place, Sydney. Hallstrom, John E., 462 Willoughby Rd., Willoughby. Harford, Mrs. Leone Z., 33 Henson St., Marrickville. Hendy, Mr. H. R., Mbabane, Swaziland, South Africa. Hewitt, Frank Charles, 4 St. Elmo St., Clifton Gardens. Hordern, Sir Samuel, “Babworth House,’ Darling Point. Johnston, Cyril D., c/o Jobeco, 14 Douglass Ave., Forster, N.S.W. Johnston, Peter Robert, 15 Fairfax Rd., Mosman. Keast, James Allen, 313 West Botany St., Rockdale. McCamley, F., Flat 6, 25 Clarendon Rd., Stanmore. Mackillop, John C., “Cumbrae,’ Ellamatta Ave., Mosman. Manwaring, H. A., 2 Altona St., Abbotsford. Minell, Mrs. Dorothy Ebsworth, 85 Birtley Towers, Elizabeth Bay. Monticone, Dr. Charles Albert, Box 2058, G.P.O., Sydney. Morgan, H. H., 74 Pitt St., Sydney. Murray, C. Stuart, Box 2427, G.P.O., Sydney. Musgrave, Anthony, Australian Museum, Sydney. Oldham, Roland V., c/o Mrs. T. Suess, 70 Kent Rd., Wooloowin, near’ Brisbane, Queensland. Ormsby, Anthony Irwin, 3 Castlereagh St., Sydney. Packer, H. E., Belgenny Flats, Taylor Square, Darlinghurst. Pope, Miss Elizabeth, 36 Kameruka Rd., Northbridge. Rogers, William James, 12 Bradleys Head Rd., Mosman. Scott, N. A. H., 22) Terminus St., Petersham. Slater, K. R., c/o Australian Petroleum Co., Port Moresby, Papua. Smith, Warren Frederick, 14 Myrna Rd., Strathfield. Spring, Robert Alexander, ‘‘Woodford,”’ St; Elmo St., Mosman. Street, The Hon. K. W., Chief Justice of N.S.W., 2 Greenoaks Ave., Edgecliff. Todman, R. G., ‘“Merdin,” 328 Edgecliff Rd., Edgecliff. Troughton, Hilis Le Geyt, Australian Museum, Sydney. Turner, W. H., 15 Sutherland Rd., Chatswood. Vickery, Ottomar George, 110 Homebush Rd., Strathfield. Ward, Melbourne, Gallery of Native Art, Medlow Bath, N.S.W. Warland, Leslie Keith, 8 Westbourne St., Carlton, N.S.W. Warland, Oswald Edward, 8 Westbourne St., Carlton, N.S.W. 85 White, Alfred Henry, Bell Trees, Scone, N.S.W. Whitley, Gilbert Percy,, Australian Museum, Sydney. Wiley, Dr. C. J., 193 Macquarie St., Sydney. Woolacott, Mrs. L. H., lla Everview Ave., Mosman. Worrell, E. F. A., Ocean Beach Aquarium, Umina, Woy Woy, N.S.W. Yardley, H., 10 Great North Rd., Five Dock. Zeck, Emil H., Entomological Branch, Dept. of Agricultur, G.P.O., Box 36, Sydney. ORDINARY MEMBERS: Adams, Miss Muriel M., 46 Milson Rd., Cremorne. Adkins, John, 10 Middle Head Rd., Mosman. Allan, Miss Elizabeth May, “‘Vergemount,” Gilliver Ave., Vaucluse. Allen, Mr. H. A., 12 Audrey St., Balgowlah. Allen, Mrs. H. A., 12 Audrey St., Balgowlah. Allison, Miss E., 24 West St., Hurstville. Allsop, Mr. Lindsay Hartley, 38 Burrawong Ave., Clifton Gardens. Andrews, William C., 38 Kameruka Rd., Northbridge. Angell, Mr. A., 14 O’Donnell St., North Bondi. Anstey, A. Mervyn, 6 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. Armstrong, J. E., 70 Wolseley Rd., Mosman. Asher, Mr. David A., 65 Falcon St., Crows Nest. Atkinson, Major Gerald B., 8 Superba Pde., Mosman. Austin, Miss M., 352 Victoria Ave., Chatswood. Bale, i. J.) Wool, vial Uimarc 3/62 tN sae Barclay, Mr. T. D., 511 Kent St., Sydney. Barrett, Frederick William, Scottish House, 17 Bridge St., Sydney. Baur, George N., 100 Victoria St., Coffs Harbour Jetty, N.S.W. Beahan, William John, 28 Martin Place, Sydney. Beardsall, Mrs. Lois, 15 Levick St., Cremorne. Berckelman, Miss Edith M., 29 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. Berne, Mr. Norman, 3 Duntroon Ave., Wollstonecraft. Berry, Edgar George, 15 Ruby St., Mosman. Beswick, G. H., LL.B., Solicitor, 282 George St., Sydney. Biber, Samuel, 675 New South Head Rd., Rose Bay. Blackburn, Dr. Maurice, 118 Willawong Rd., Caringbah. Blaxland,: Mrs. Falkner J., 16 Lloura Rd., Wahroonga. Blenkarn, G. G., c/o C.T.A. Club, Martin Place, Sydney. Booy, Mrs. M., 55 Parriwi Rd., Mosman. Bouchier, Reginald W., 191 Nicholson Pde., Cronulla. Bradley, Miss E. B., 46 Iluka Rd., Mosman. Branston, Mr. Warwick, 18 Courtenay Rd., Rose Bay. Bray, Miss Q., 10 St. Elmo St., Mosman. Brooks, Wm. & Co., Ltd., 199 Elizabeth St., Waterloo. Brown, Mrs. C. E., Munn St., Merimbula, N.S.W. Browne, Mrs. Mary Frances, 11 Clifton St., Clifton Gardens. Brown, Russell G., No. 7 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. Bruce, Robert, 126 Falcon St., Crows Nest. Bryden-Brown, C., 5 Burrawong Ave., Clifton Gardens. Buchanan, Rear-Admiral | Dae |e R.AN., Naval Headquarters, Potts Point, N.S.W. , Bullen, Errol, 7 Burrabirra Ave., Vaucluse. Burgh, Henry Bertram, 42 Warialda St., West Kogarah. Bush, Kent Willard, 704 Forest Rd., Peakhurst. Butler, Miss J., 94 Cabramatta Rd., Mosman. Campbell, T. G:, c/o C:S:L RO; Box. 109)\.Canberra, A.C Campe, Mrs. I., 64 Tindale Rd., Artarmon. Chaffer, Norman, 1 Roslyn Ave., Roseville. Chapman, Mrs. Julie Ann, c/o Francis, Chapman Sons & Deekes Ltd., 2b Castlereagh St., Sydney. 86 Clark, Dr. Ernest D., 822 Military Rd., Mosman. Clark, Eric Edward, 148 Franklyn St., Matraville. Clark, Roland C., 33 Kardinia Rd., Mosman. Clayton, Charles, c/o Printers Pty. Ltd., Box 36 P.C., Waterloo. Clayton, Mrs. C., 42 Rickard Ave., Mosman. Clemens, Miss A. M., c/o Sister May, 2 Bradley's Head Rd., Mosman. Clyne, The Hon. Daniel, 29 Farleigh St., Ashfield. Collett, Sister M., Donald St., Greenwich. Copland, Stephen J., Chilton Pde., Warrawee. Coppleson, Dr. V. M., 225 Macquarie St., Sydney. Cornell, Mr. V., 10 Lennox St., Mosman. D’Alpuget, Miss B., Box 2757, G.P.O., Sydney. Darrell, Herbert, “Bushlands,’ Acres Rd., Kellyville. Darrell, Mrs. M. K., “Bushlands,’ Acres Rd., Kellyville. Dawson, Richard Stanley, 36a Burrawong Ave., Mosman. Deakin, Dr. John Edward Ferdinand, “Vindoro,” Military Rd., Mosman. Deck, Dr. Ernest Field, 9 Kardinia Rd., Clifton Gardens. Desmarchelier, Theo, Flat 3, 11 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. Dewhurst, Norman, “Yantara,” 2 St. Elmo St., Mosman. Dobbin, Miss Dolce Mabel, 2 Tryon St., Chatswood. Dobson, Roderick, 19 Lucinda Ave., Wahroonga. Done, Herbert Stanley, Rockley St., Castlecrag. Doswell, Mr. R., 12 Burrawong Ave., Mosman. Dougall, Andrew, 43 Lancaster Rd., Rose Bay. Downing, Hon. R. R., 28 Earl St., Gladesville. Drake, Mr. J. M., 40 Burrawong Ave., Clifton Gardens. Pun, J. G. Snr., 7- Cross St., Mosman. Duncan, Grantley A., Cnr. Cooyong and Pittwater Rd., Terrey Hills, via Chatswood. Dwyer, Edmond Alfred, 2 St. Elmo St., Clifton Gardens. Dwyer, John Edward, 6 Simpson St., Mosman. Edmanson, R. G., “Yarrabin,’ 3 Princes Promenade, Seaforth. Edwards, Edward Oliver, Cummins Rd., Menangle Park. Ellis, Mrs. Barbara, 6 Chesterton, The Esplanade, Balmoral Beach. Bllison, N., 13 Whiting Beach Rd., Mosman. Elsey, Mr. David, 36 Kardinia Rd., Clifton Gardens. Ensor, Mr. E. G., 1 Gundimaine Ave., Neutral Bay. Evans, Arthur Phillipi, 24 Fifth Ave., Eastwood. Fairfax, John & Sons, 38 Hunter St., Sydney. Fell, John W., 15 Silex Rd., Clifton Gardens. Ferguson, George A., c/o Angus & Robertson Ltd., 89 Castlereagh St., Sydney. Finckh, Dr. E. S., No. 1 Valley Rd., Lindfield. Finekh, E. V., c/o BE. S. Finckh, 1 Valley Rd., Lindfield. Firth-Smith, W. A., 145 Darling Point Rd., Darling Point. Flanagan, Martin, 16 Moore St., Canley Vale, N.S.W. Fleming, Mr. A., 30 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Fletcher, Mr. E., 22 Morden St., Cammeray. Fisk, William James, 18 Moore St., Campsie. Fitzhardinge, Miss Julie G., 19 Beecroft Rd., Pennant Hills. Ford, Robert Paul, Athol Flats, Whiting Beach Rd., Mosman. Francis, James John, 3 Castlereagh St., Sydney. Friend, Norman Bartlett, c/o L. W. Chant, 12 Spring St., Sydney. Gadsden, Ernest Jeffrey, 7 Greenknowe Ave., Potts Point. Galvin, Mr. P. F., Solicitor, 17 Castlereagh St., Sydney. Garrard, Thomas A., P.O. Box 28, Bankstown. Gates, Edward Roy, 98 High St., Willoughby. Gatliff, Henry Ernest, 82 Raglan St., Mosman. Glauert, Mr. L., F.R.Z.S., Western. Australian Museum, Perth, W.A. Gollin, Mrs. B., Flat 65, 4 Macleay St., Potts Point. Goodman, Mr. C. W., c/o Quarrymans Hotel, Harris St., Sydney. 87 Graham, F. A., 115 St. George’s Crescent, Drummoyne. Green, R. Rae, 5 Whiting Beach Rd., Mosman. Gregory, Mrs. Hilda, 2 Musgrave St., Mosman. Hall, Miss Nancy Myra, “Lynwood,” 1 Major St., Mosman. Halloran, Dr. Garnet, 143 Macquarie St., Sydney. Harris, Dr. Clive, 5th Floor, 235 Macquarie St., Sydney. Harrison, Dr. John Leslie, 4 Thompson St., Clifton Gardens. ‘ Harvey, Percy Fincham, 7 Pacific St., Clovelly. JalenAveny, IMGs, 12s Jal, 7 JeevemiG Si, Clonvellhy, Hastings, W. K., 13 Seebrees St., Manly Vale. Heath, Albert Edward, Strathkyle, 19-23 Bligh St., Sydney. Heath, Gladstone Hodsoll, 3 Thompson St., Clifton Gardens. Henderson, Ernest, 24 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Herrmann, Reginald Aloysius, 15 Cambridge St., Hnmore. Hewitt, Dr. George Henry, Park St., Bellingen, N.S.W. Heyde, Charles William, 216 Nicholson Pde., Cronulla. Hall AVC. Weevil bs Pite St. sovamer: Hill, Mr. F. T., 21 Coolawin Rd., Northbridge. Hill, Miss Jean B., Dalton House, 115 Pitt St., Sydney. Hindwood, Keith Alfred, F.R.Z.S., Wingello House, Angel Place, Sydney. Hirst, Brian, Pine Ridge, Castle Hill, N.S.W. Hirst, Edward, Burraburoo, Wellington Rd., Gulgong, N.S.W. Hockings, Arthur Thornton, Box 1761, G.P.O., Sydney. Holland, E. F., 76a Ninth Ave., Campsie. Hordern, Anthony, No. 7 Holt St., Double Bay. Hooke, R. Waldron, 34 Thompson St., Mosman. Hudson, William Arthur, 40 Bradley's Head Rd., Mosman. Hughes, John, 58 Rosebery Rd., Killara. Hunt, Reginald Thomas, 14 Burrawong Ave., Clifton Gardens. Hunt, W. L., 27 Hunter St., Sydney. Huntington, G., 69 Bay St., Mosman. Inglis, Eric, 57 Nixon St., Surry Hills. Ivey, Miss Lily, 15 Gladswood Gardens, Double Bay. Jenkinson, Mrs. M., 326 Victoria Rd., Marrickville. Jervis, T. H., 74 Roseville Ave., Roseville. Johnson, Geoffrey Alan, 546 George St., Sydney. Johnson, Mrs. M. B., Flat 3, 40 Coonanbarra Rd., Wahroonga. Johnston, Miss Dorothy M., 64 Vista St., Mosman. Jones, Sir Charles Lloyd, c/o David Jones Ltd., Sydney. Jones, J. C., Box 9, P.O., Biggerden, Q’land. Jones, Miss Valmai, 14 Middle Head Rd., Mosman. Kater, Dr. Norman M., 146 Wolseley Rd., Point Piper. Kay, Vins Ey DG Victoria Rd.; Marrickville. Keighley, Mr. Frank M., Golden Valley, Sutton Forest, NSW. Kellner, Stephen, 174 Phillip St., Sydney. Kelly, Barry, 80 Mintaro Ave., Strathfield. Kennedy, Miss Grace, 80 Warrane Rd., East Willoughby. Kerslake, Mrs. Joy, 29 Nundah St., Lane Cove. Kerslake, Mr. Richmond, 29 Nundah St., Lane Cove. King, Ambrose, 116 Croydon Rd., Croydon. Kinghorn, James Roy, F.R.Z.S., Australian Museum, College St., Sydney. Krug, G., 22 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. Lambert, Stephen Bryce, St. John’s Rectory, Balmain. Lanceley, Edward James, 22 Lucknow St., Willoughby. Langmuir, Ronald John, 26 Strickland St., Rose Bay. luaseron, C.F F.RIZS.. to Boe St, Karmiehe Laseron, John, 15 Hill St., Fairlight. uavett, Mr. J: Ko Box 4256,1G-e- OF Syoney, Lawson, Albert Augustus, 3 Harden Rd., Artarmon. Lawson, Miss E., 30 Thompson St., Mosman. Leeds, Richard Alan, Warana, Wyandra, W. Line, Q’land. 88 Lennon, Edward Francis, 48 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Levitt, Miss D. C., 94 Rossmore Ave., Punchbowl. Levitt, Miss V. C., 94 Rossmore Ave., Punchbowl. Lewis, George Owen, c/o Tooth & Co., Kent Brewery, Sydney. Lincolne, J. G., Box t, Casterton, Victoria. Lions, Mrs. F., 160 Alt St., Haberfield. Lippmann, Herbert Maximilian, 14 Buena Vista Ave., Mosman. Llewellyn, Arthur Stuart, 131-133 Pitt St., Sydney. Lloyd, Miss Edith Florence, c/o Sister May, 2 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. Loveday, G. C., 28 Kardinia Rd., Clifton Gardens. Luckie, Miss Nina Hstella, 110 Benelong Rd., Cremorne. McAllister, V. L., 15 Prince Albert St., Mosman. McAlpine, D. K., 12 St. Thomas St., Bronte, N.S.W. McColl, S., Box 5003, G.P.0., Sydney. Maceomloush Mr. EH. TT. C.,.“Berckton,’ Lilli Pilli Point Rd. Lilli Pilli, N.S.W. Macdonald, Andrew, 11 Bradley's Head Rd., Mosman. McDonald, A., 33 Massey St., Gladesville. McDonald, Robert William, 20 Saville St., Gore Hill. McDowell, Mrs. J. H. C., c/o McDowells Ltd., King & George Sts., Sydney. McDowell, R. E., c/o McDowells Ltd., King & George Sts., Sydney. McGill, Arnold Robert, F.R.Z.S., 119 Wollongong Rd., Arncliffe. MacIntosh, Dr. Neil W. G., 35 Benelong Crescent, Bellevue Hill. MacKenzie, Miss Sonja H., 17 St. Neots Ave., Potts Point. MacKenzie, Mrs. V. J., 17 St. Neots Ave., Potts Point. Mackillop, F. C., “Cumbrae,”’ Ellamatta Ave., Mosman. Mackillop, J. A., No. 7 Clytha House, Thrupp St., Neutral Bay. Macnamara, John, 46 Alt St., Ashfield. MeNeill, Frank A., Australian Museum, College St., Sydney. McRae, Colin, 1 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. McRae, David Beattie, 1 Bradley's Head Rd., Mosman. Maher, S., 48 Sir Joseph Banks Rd., Bankstown. Marr, Sir Charles, Telegraph Rd., Pymble. Mathews, Mr. R., 730 Princes Highway, Sylvania. Mathews, Bert, ‘“Petgar,’ West St., Brookvale, N.S.W. Mayer, Matron E., 25 Homebush Rd., Strathfield. Meale, Kenneth Harold, 27 Norma Ave., Eastwood. Mell, Miss EH. E., c/o Sister May, 2 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. Mellor, Walter L., “Stamford,” 437 Forest Rd., Penshurst. Meyer, George Rex, 91 Bowden St., Ryde, N.S.W. Micholson, Julius Charles, 9 Whiting Beach Rd., Mosman. Miller, Don, Old Northern Rd., Glenorie, N.S.W. Milne, Allan Eden Furley, 641 Pacific Highway, Mount Colah. Milne, Mrs. J., ‘““Elsinora,’ 21 Joubert St., Hunters Hill. Monaghan, R., 3 Rockwall Crescent, Potts Point. Moore, Harold Hamilton, 6 Mudies Rd., St. Ives. Moore, William Robert, 12 Kywong Ave., Pymble. Morgan, Frederick E., Snow Elliott Pty. Ltd., Danks Bldg., 324 Pitt St., Sydney. Morley, William Arnold, 50 Kingslangley Rd., Greenwich. Murnin, R. B., 12 Macleay St., Potts Point. Murray, Betty Elaine, 193 Bexley Rd., EKarlwood. Murray, Margaret Louise, 198 Princes Highway, Carlton, N.S.W. Murray, Prof. P. D. F., Challis Professor of Zoology, The Department of Zoology, The University of Sydney. Muston, H. K., 15 O’Connell St., Sydney. Nash, Robert L., 2 Lennox St., Mosman. Neill, Miss F. F., 13 Bradley's Head Rd., Mosman. Nettheim, R. F., 21 Thompson St., Mosman. 89 Nevill, J. J., 26 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Noble, Rupert F. S., 5 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Oatley, Percy Allan, 4 Prince Aibert St., Mosman. Oberg, Olaf D. A., Gardeners Rd., Mascot. Ongley, W. S., 47 Wollongong Rd., Arncliffe. Orsben, Henry Joseph, 43 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. Palmer, Lynton Edward, 96 Pitt St., Sydney. Parle, F. O., 11 Lennox St., Mosman. Parrott, Arthur W., ‘“Lochiel,’”’ Wakapuaka Rd., Hira R.D., Nelson, New Zealand. Paterson, J. G., 21 Kardinia Rd., Mosman. Paton, F. A., Flat No. 11, 46 Birraga Rd., Bellevue Hill. Patten, Robert A., ‘““Dunromin,’” Windsor Rd., Kellyville. Patterson, Mr. William, 14 David St., Clifton Gardens. Pearson, Richard Browning, “Nelgowrie,’ Coonamble, N.S.W. Percy, Dr. C. E., Flat 2, 4 Thompson St., Mosman. Perry, Leonard John, 9 Thompson St., Mosman. Pescott, J. M., 32 Kardinia Rd., Mosman. Phillips, Edward Arthur, 68 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Pilcher, James EH. H., St. Ann’s, Morella Rd., Clifton Gardens. Playoust, Maurice, 22 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Pockley, Dr. Eric, Avalon Pde., Avalon Beach, N.S.W. Poolman, Noel K., 6 St. Elmo St., Clifton Gardens. Powell, F. D., 9 David St., Clifton Gardens. Power, Barry John, No. 2 Asquith Ave., Rosebery. Ramsay, J. S. P., “Kalia,’ Gale St.. Woolwich. Raper, Leonard Francis, 344 Bourke Rd., Glen Iris, Victoria. Raves, J. V., No. 1 Clumba Court, 66 Prince St., Mosman. Rayment, Mrs. R. H., 146a Waterloo Rd., Bankstown Hast. Read, B., 17 Pine St., North Sydney. Richardson, Harold R., 181 Clarence St., Sydney. Robbins, Mr. D., 50 Dennis St., Lakemba. Roberts, Kenneth Stewart, 3 Richmond Ave., Cremorne. Roberts, Noel L., 43 Hannah St., Beecroft. Robertson, Stanley Gladstone, 42 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Rodd, Norman W., 204 Beecroft Rd., Cheltenham. Romanis, H. F., 46 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Roughley, Theodore Cleveland, F.R.Z. s 5 Coolong Rd., Vaucluse. Rule, Jack, 19 Thompson St., Mosman. Ruthven, G. H., 4 Thompson St., Clifton Gardens. Sachisthal, N. ie Charlton Boys Home, Avona Ave., Glebe Point. Sargeant, L. T., 42 Brickfield St., Parramatta. Sargeant, L. J., 35 Gladstone St., Parramatta. Saunderson, Mr. M., 29 Reiby Place, Sydney. Sayers, Mr. E. C., 87 Eddy Rd., Chatswood. Scammell, George V., 7 David St., Clifton Gardens. Scammell, R. B., Hsq., “Storrington,’ 10 Buena Vista Ave. Clifton Gardens. Scott, Alban Edward, 72 Middle Head Rd., Mosman. Scott, George, 19 Kardinia Rd., Clifton Gardens. Shaffran, John, 9 St. Elmo St., Mosman. Shaw, C. Vernon, 61 Concord Rd., Concord. Shirley, William Lancelot, 35 Clifford Ave., Fairlight. Simpson, W. H., 2 Effingham St., Mosman. Slater, Ederic Sutherland, 16 Prince Albert St., Mosman. Smith, Colin Campbell, 46 St. Thomas St., Waverley. Smith, Richard Dermer, 13 Muston St., Mosman. Smith, Reginald William, 142 Franklin St., Matraville. Soady, Miss Mary E., c/o Union Trustees, 2 O'Connell St., Sydney. Spain, lan Alfred Hamilton, “Ulundri,’ Old Castle Hill Rd., Castle Hill. Spencer, Jack L., 21 David St., Mosman. 90 Stedman, B. J., 37 Cheltenham Rd., Croydon, N.S.W. Stedman, Frank Milton, 19 David St., Clifton Gardens. Stephen, Alfred Ernest, Box 1158HH, G.P.O., Sydney. Stephens, Henry John, 41 Lords Ave., Asquith. Stewart, Professor James Douglas, Gladswood House, Gladswood Gar- dens, Double Bay. Stinson, EH. R. D., Esq., 48 Raglan St., Mosman. stott, S. G., 2 David St., Clifton Gardens. Strempel, EH. A., c/o The Adelaide Steamship Co. Ltd., Box 1535, G.P.O., Sydney. Tait, George Edward, “Marchmont,’ 35 Moruben Rd., Mosman. Tansley, H. E., 50 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. ‘Taylor, Dr. Arthur Thornton, 175 Macquarie St., Sydney. Taylor, Barry Thornton, 11 Kardinia Rd., Clifton Gardens. Thellefsen, EK. S., c/o Royal Danish Consulate, 56 Hunter St., Sydney. Thomas, Mrs. Madge Isobel, 25 Rickard Ave., Mosman. Thornley, Mr. E. W., 23 Mitchell St., Brookvale, N.S.W. Thornley, Miss Gertrude, 37 Auburn Rd., Lidcombe. Thornthwaite, Crmond Robert, 17 Raglan St., Mosman. Tillman, R. F., 44 Alfred St., Ramsgate. Trebilco, A. E. L., 1 Raymond Ave., Turramurra. Trebitsch, F., 13 Elfrieda St., Mosman. Trebitsch, Mrs. M., 13 Elfrieda St., Mosman. Tremlett, Frank C. G., 22 Thompson St., Mosman. Trenerry, Mrs. Muriel, 7 St. Paul’s Rd., Balgowlah. Trenerry, W. A., 7 St. Paul's Rd., Balgowlah. Trenerry, William Leo, 567 Military Rd., Mosman. Utz, Gordon Albert, 6 Silex Rd., Mosman. Vicars, Robert John, Victoria Rd., Marrickville. Voorwinde, Jacob, 115 High St., Kirribilli. Walters, A. Lloyd, 10 Eastview Ave., North Ryde. Ward, Miss Betty, 29 Bradley's Head Rd., Mosman. Wark, Mrs. B. M., Flat 2, 49 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. Warren, HK. E., Morella Rd., Clifton Gardens. Waterhouse, Mr. John, 4 Lightcliff Ave., Lindfield. Webber, L., 6 Grandview Pde., Epping. Webster, Donald J., 2 Buena Vista Ave., Mosman. Webster, Mrs. R. J., 2 Buena Vista Ave., Clifton Gardens. Webster, R. J., 2 Buena Vista Ave., Clifton Gardens. Wheeler, Henry E., 41 Hannah St., Beecroft. Wheelwright, A. H., “Rosedale,” Narrawa Private Bag, via Crookwell. Whitburn, A., 24 Boyd Rd., Cabramatta. Williams, Amos EK., Wyoming, Berridale, N.S.W. Williams, R. A., Flat 2, 34 Charlotte St., Ashfield. Wills, J. R., 29 Highlands Ave., Wahroonga. Winter-Irving, Mrs. A., 22 Wolseley Rd., Point Piper. Wiseman, William A., 10 Effingham St., Mosman. Wood, Harold, 54 Abbotsford Pde., Abbotsford. Wood, John Roy, 8 Claremont Rd. Enfield. Woolf, R. K., N.S.W. Motors, Hunter St., West Wickham, 2.N., N.S.W. Woolley, B., 18 Beauty Point Rd., Mosman. Yarham, Mrs. Kathleen, 154 President Ave, Miranda. Young, William, 8 Hansard St., Waterloo. Zeck, Mrs. E. H., 694 Victoria Rd., Ryde. HONORARY ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: Chisholm, Alex, F.R.Z.S., c/o Angus & Robertson, Castlereagh St., Sydney. Hough, Prof. J., 1515, Mariposa, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A. Malloch, J. R., 5635 Nth. 8th St., Arlington, Va., U.S.A. Moore, Prof. John, 520 W. 122 St., N.Y. 27, New York, U.S.A. on LIFE ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: Chadwick, C. E., Entomological Branch, Department of Agriculture, Sydney. Colliver, F. S., c/o Geological Department, University of Q’land, Bris- bane, Q’land . Director, Dominion Museum, Wellington, N.Z. Hardy, G. H. H., “Karambi,” Letitia St., Katoomba, N.S.W. Hopkinson, Dr. Emilius, C.M.G., Balcombe, Sussex, Enghand. Houtson, J. KS. 342 Church Sti. Parramatta: Johnston, Mrs. P. R., 15 Fairfax Rd., Mosman. Morrison, Philip Crosbie, M.Sc., 9 Maroona Rd., Brighton, 8.5, Victoria. Palmer, J., 82 Bridge Rd., Glebe. Sears, Miss C., c/o Bank of N.S.W., Cnr. King & George Sts., Sydney. Thackway, A. EK. J., “Wyoming,” 57 Albyn Rd., Strathfield. Thom, Leslie Alexander, 6 Begg St., Lakemba. Thomas, Andrew David, 26 Darebin St., Heidelberg, N.22, Victoria. Wilkinson, John Wrixon, 24 William St., Mascot. Wright, Phillip A., Wallamunbi, Armidale. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: Agriculture, Department Library, St. George’s Terrace, Perth, W.A. Barrett, Charles, “Maralena,’ Maysbury Ave., Elsternwick, Victoria. Barnett, G. W., 32 Shelley St., Campsie. Black, Mary Kathleen, 17 Maitland St., Killara. Bouchier, Mrs. Bertha, 191 Nicholson Pde., Cronulla. Brown, Dr: A. Graham, Colac, Victoria: Browne, Mrs. R. B., 113 Pacific Highway, Hornsby. Burdock, N., 46 Spencer Rd., Killara. Burgh, Mrs. Ada May, 42 Warialda St., West Kogarah. Butters, Miss Elizabeth, 28 Toxteth St., Glebe, N.S.W. Cleland,.Prof. J. Burton, 1 Dashwood Rd., Beaumont, Adelaide, S.A. Colefax, Alan, Department of Zoology, University of Sydney. Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Laboratory, McMaster Field Station, C.S.I.R.O., Mail Bag, Liverpool, N.S.W. Cotton, Bernard Charles, F.R.Z.S., South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, S.A. Dawson, J. B., 155 Stanmore Rd., Stanmore. Dept. of Harbours and Marine, Edward St., Brisbane, Q’land. D’Ombrain, Athel F., 17 Nillo St., Lorn, Maitland. English, Kathleen M. I., 2 Shirley Rd., Roseville. Ferguson, T. L., 132 Woollooware Rd., Buraneer, N.S.W. Forbes, Dr. Arthur Duncan, Nyngan, N.S.W. Fraser, A. J., Chief Inspector of Fisheries, Fisheries Dept., Perth, W.A. Gadsden, Mrs. E. J., 7 Greenknowe Ave., Potts Point. Gannon, Gilbert Roscoe, ““Bushlands,’’ Livingstone Ave., Pymble. Gannon, Mrs. G. R., “Bushlands,”’ Livingstone Ave., Pymble. Goldsmith, Mrs., No. 1 Garden Ave., Harbord. Graham, David H., 28 Whites Line Hast, Lower Hutt, New Zealand. Halstead, Dr. Bruce W., Department of Medical Zoology, School of Tropical and Preventive Medicine, Loma Linda, Calif., U.S.A. Herriot, S. T., c/o L5, Robinson St., Kogarah. Hoskin, E. S., Flat 1, 253 Pacific Highway, North Sydney. Jackson, Mrs. EK. J., 282 Anzac Pde., Kensington. Jones, Robert G. M., 129 Queens St., Woollahra. Kaveney, Morton, 5 Coral St., Balgowlah. Keats, Mrs. Joan E., 2 Dellwood St., Chatswood. Kennedy, Colin, “Karingal,”’ Villiers Rd., Padstow. Kershaw, R. C., ““Manorama,” Clarence Point, West Tamar, Tasmania. Ketley, K. J., 14 Robian St., Croydon. 92 Kinghorn, Mrs. J. R., c/o Mr. J. R. Kinghorn, Australian Museum, College St., Sydney. Kitchen, Mr. G., 7 Castle St., Blakehurst. Kuenzli, Diane Marjorie, 93 Braeside St., Wahroonga. Leggett, Miss Maude W., Stanley, T'asmania. Le Souef, J. C., c/o P.O., Blairgowrie, Blairgowrie, Victoria. Lind, Mrs. Joan, 33 Campbell St., Glebe. Lowe, Mrs. Norman E., 56 Bradley’s Head Rd., Mosman. McDougall, Dr. William Alexander, Dept. of Agriculture and Stock, Brisbane. Mackay, Mrs. R. D., 90 French St., Maroubra. Mackay, Roy David, 90 French St., Maroubra. Macknight, K. H., 10 O'Connell St., Sydney. McKenna, Nigel R., 41 Prospect St., Rosehill. McKie, Thomas, Pomeroy Rd., Goulburn. MecSwiggan, Thomas James, 50 Railway Parade, Penshurst, N.S.W. Mann, John §S., Biological Section, Lands Department, Sherwood, Bris- bane, Q’land. Marca Jon WM J., 27 Paul St., Bondi Junction. Martire, Matteo, 58 Sugarloaf Crescent, Castlecrag. Mathewson, H. P., Cnr. Lothian St., Annersley, S.B., Brisbane, Q’land. Mills, G. W., 3 Denham St., Hurstville. Moore, Kenneth Milton, Cutrock Rd., Lisarow, N.S.W. Mutton, Mr. F., 16 Empress St., Hurstville. Nicholson E., 116 Bacon St., Grafton, P.O. Box 199. Nock, Miss Clive E., 58 Stanhope Rd., Killara. Oliver, A. W., c/o Union Bank, Sydney. Oliver, Dr. W..R. B., 26 Ventnor St., Seatoun, Wellington, H.5., N.Z. Pattison, George, 68 Partridge St., Glenelg, South Australia. Paul, Hector George, ‘‘Intaa,’ 60 Spurwood Rd., Warrimoo, Blue Moun- tains, N.S.W. Rayment, Tarlton, F.R.Z.S., “Bow-worrung,’ Bath St., Sandringham, Victoria. Ridley, D. M., 78 Innes Rd., Balgowlah. Roberts, J. H., 35 Shaftsbury Rd., Burwood. Rutland, Mrs. K., 19 Riley St,. North Sydney. Schwerin, Mr. P. E., Flat 1, 36 McDougall St., Milson’s Point. Sharland, Michael S. R., 141 “Melrose,” Hampden Rd., Hobart, Tas- mania. Sharpe, J. H., 1 Moore St., Campsie. Short, Percy Howard, 27 Downey St., Bexley. Sigley, Colin, 12) Balfour Rd., Rose Bay. Stowar, A., 8 Chisholm St., Auburn, N.S.W. Swan, Mrs. R. G., 285 Livingstone Rd., Marrickville. Thomas, I. M., Department of Zoology, University, Adelaide. Vellenga, Mrs. R. E., Flat 19, 10a Challis Ave., Potts Point. Waite Agricultural Institute, University of Adelaide, Private Mail Bag, -Adelaide. Warr, H., 33 Minnesota Ave., Five Dock. Wilson, James Otto, 42 Wilson Ter., Da Costa Park, Glenelg, South Australia. Wood, W. J., 61 Milson Rd., Cremorne. Zoological Board of Victoria, Royal Park, Parkville, Victoria. JUNIOR MEMBERS: Amder Ke 18 Darley St., Sans Souci. Burgh, Phillip Henry, 42 Warialda St., West Kogarah. Burgh, Robin May, 42 Warialda St., West Kogarah. Callan, Frances Joan, 30 Kardella Ave., Killara. Callan, Patricia Margaret, 30 Kardella Ave., Killara. 93 Catts, Jennifer, 139 Livingstone Rd., Marrickville. Catts, Peter, c/o Mrs. Kay, 358 Victoria Rd., Marrickville, Colman, Phillip H., 12 Wetherill St., Narrabeen. Edwards, Edward David, Cummins Rd., Menangle Park. Frewer, Kenneth, 789 Victoria Rd., Ryde. Greenup, L. R., 2 Dellwood Ave., Earlwood. Jenkinson, Ray, 31 Monash Rd., Gladesville. Kaltenbach, Miss D., 33 High St., Wauchope. Kaltenbach, Miss Robin, 33 High St., Wauchope. Keats, Michael, 2 Dellwood St., Chatswood. Layton, Terry, 1 Margaret St., Roseville. Ryan, Barry John, 8 Garners Ave., Marrickville. Smith, Brian, 36 Myra St., Wahroonga. Stedman, James E., 19 David St., Clifton Gardens. Watts, Bryan Anthony, 62 Percival Rd., Stanmore. Wood, Janet Ferguson, 40 Trevellyan St., Cronulla. MEMBERS ARE REQUESTED TO INFORM THE HONORARY SECRETARY OF ANY CHANGE OF ADDRESS. Authors alone are responsible for the facts and opin:ons contained in ; their papers. 94 Fellow ne CAtOE aA, Ae ee ae la " ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES is MEMBERSHIP. (The Society's year commences on Ist July) Fees commencing ist July, 1952, as follows: Class . Amount of Subscription Associate Member a my . ie ee £1 1 0 per annum Ordinary Member . hh byt gia) teen s (Members joining after Ist January in any year pay one-half subscription. ) Life Associate Member ii a he .. £10 10 O in one sum Life Member .. xy ie Se yh hd Ot. j: { Elected for services Honorary Member .. oe { to Australian Zoology Honorary Associate Member AY 4 | or to the Society Junior Members (aged 16 or under ) P ue 5 0 per annum ; TITLES. (Conferred by the Council) For valuable services oe the Society or to Australian Zoology Associate Benefactor .. For contribution of £100 to the Society's funds Benefactor ag ial aa Ys SPU gas at e 5 Endowment Member .. ,, + £1,000 ,, 4, ¥ “3 PRIVILEGES. Members of all classes may attend all meetings of the Society and its various Sections. 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AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGICAL HANDBOOKS AND SPECIAL REPRINTS “Bibliography of Australian Entomology, 1775-1930,’ by Anthony Musgrave, F.H.S. 390 -| vii pp. Price, 10s. Plus postage. ‘‘A Check List of the Birds of Paradise and Bower-Birds,” by Tom Iredale. Reprint, complete in one part, 5s., post free. “Revision of the New South Wales Turridae,’ by C. F. Laseron, F.R.Z.S. 56 pages, 12 plates with 264 figures. Price 7s. 6d., plus postage. “Australian Insects,” by the late*K. C. McKeown. Revised edition, 303 pages, numerous illustrations. Price 12/6, plus postage. CONTENTS Page Seventy-fifth Annual Report 1 Officers for the Year 1955-56 2 Revenue Account Me on tig si Ree Retr Bre ba ah Balance Sheet wy: AL MA 4 pie a ot Ny 4. Obituary 5 Reports of Sections ; an as a eh af 6 Syllabus of Sectional Meetings. si Lng ay va erage aie Papers: i ae Hand-rearing of the Scarlet Chested Parakeet, by F. J. Blaxland .. a 16 Variation in the Australian Oriolidae, by. fa A. ‘Keast. ees: bs Variation in the Genus Megalurus, by J. A. Keast .. pat 25 The Status of Denisonia maculata, by R. McKay 29 New Fishes from Australia and New Zealand, by G. P. Whitley .. 34 List of the Native Freshwater Fishes of “Australia, by G. P. Broinowski’s Birds and Mammals of iWusitatia’ by T. Iredale 14 ba Whitley .. 39 Ke ij We Reappearance of a Rare Australian Volute Shell, by be Allan 48 Some Have Eyes—Others Have None, by T. Rayment .. 50 ~ She Trips the Trigger, by T. Rayment te: tb Aco Life-histories of Sub-species of Jalmenus ictinus, by EK. 0. ee Edwards .. OOM The Foodplants of the Chequered Swallowtail, by E. O. Edwards .. 63 Some Butterfly Notes from ‘Port Macquarie, N. 's. Wales, by BE. O. Edwards .. ae 64 Notes on Australian Lycaenidae, by E. O. Edwards ae 65 A Note on... Girault’s Privately Printed Leaflets, by | A. W. Parrott oy 66 New Catfish from New Guinea, by G. P. Whitley on ye 68 The Marine Zoologist [Special Supplement], Vol. 1, No. 4 mang || The Beauty of Living Molluscs, by F. McCamley ui ihe 70 A New Genus of the Nassariidae, by C. F..& J. Laseron .. Ti Notes on Australian Shells, No. 1, by L. Woolacott .. siete) bane A Northern Australian Volute, by T. Iredale .. ci oe An Octopus Delicacy, by P. Colman .. 78. The Wedding Whirl of the Soldier-Fish, by G. Pp, Whitley . aoa History of New South Wales Coe Part A, nity T. Iredale .. Sih 45 List of Members .. 1 ea Printed for.Esquire Press, by E. J. Miller, 28 Baldwin Strect, Erskineville