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EARLY TASMANIAN ORNITHOLOGY
THE CORRESPONDENCE OF
RONALD CAMPBELL GUNN AND JAMES GRANT

a 1836-1838

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Ronald Campbell Gunn as a young man. Reproduced with the kind permis-
sion of the Director and the Board of Trustees, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

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MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB, NO. 16

Editor, Walter E. Boles

EARLY TASMANIAN ORNITHOLOGY
THE CORRESPONDENCE OF
RONALD CAMPBELL GUNN AND JAMES GRANT
1836-1838

WILLIAM E. DAVIS, JR.

CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
Published by the Club
2009

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MEMOIRS OF THE NUTTALL ORNITHOLOGICAL CLUB

. Bird Migration. William Brewster. 1886. 22 pp.
. The Ipswich Sparrow (Ammodramus princeps Maynard) and its Summer

Home. Jonathan Dwight, Jr. 1895. 56 pp., 1 color plate.

. The Birds of Essex County, Massachusetts. Charles Wendell Townsend. 1905.

352 pp., 1 plate, 1 map.

. The Birds of the Cambridge Region of Massachusetts. William Brewster. 1906.

425 pp., 4 plates, 3 maps.

. Supplement to the Birds of Essex County Massachusetts. Charles Wendell

Townsend. 1920. 195. pp., 1 plate, 1 map.

. The Birds of Cuba. Thomas Barbour. 1923. 141 pp., 4 plates.
. The Birds of Newfoundland Labrador. Oliver Luther Austin, Jr. 1932. 229 pp.,

1 map.

. An Account of the Nuttall Ornithological Club 1873-1919. Charles Foster

Batchelder. 1937. 109 pp., 1 plate.

Cuban Ornithology. Thomas Barbour. 1943. 144 pp., 2 plates.

10. A Bibliography of the Published Writings of William Brewster. Charles Foster

Batchelder. 1951. 54 pp.

11. History of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, 1873-1986. William E. Davis, Jr.

12.

13.

14.

16.

1987. 179 pp., frontispiece, 29 figures.

Contributions to the History of North American Ornithology. William E.
Davis, Jr. and Jerome A. Jackson, editors. 1995. 501 pp., 108 figures.
Contributions to the History of North American Ornithology. Volume II. 2000.
William E. Davis, Jr. and Jerome A. Jackson, editors. 401 pp., 118 figures.
Contributions to the History of Australasian Ornithology. William E. Davis,
Jr., Harry F. Recher, Walter E. Boles, and Jerome A. Jackson, editors. 2008.
481 pp., 101 figures.

Bird Banding in North America: The First Hundred Years. Jerome A. Jackson,
William E. Davis, Jr, and John Tautin, editors. 2008. 280 pp., 62 figures.
Early Tasmanian Ornithology, the Correspondence of Ronald Campbell Gunn
and James Grant, 1836-1838. William E. Davis, Jr. 2009. 263 pp., 30 figures.

Nuttall Ornithological Club
Cambridge, Massachusetts

© 2009 by Nuttall Ornithological Club
All rights reserved, Published 2009
Printed in the United States of America
ISBN 1-877973-47-5

Publications of the Nuttall Ornithological Club can be obtained from:
Nuttall Ornithological Club, c/o Museum of Comparative Zoology,
Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.

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For Robert (Bob) Mesibov
a good friend and my guru on things invertebrate

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

PHS PACS acon sc udeac) rad sagen stuesreectas tearcusctesanenrsan ars taete esl sede tetabeacubgydhees tate cus srepscoussabane 1x
ACKHOWIEC OTIC ES i ibs tll rcneeathcrarionesre tuned woeameiveleclesnalsubxeatienGentoastes xl
Chapter De Mitta ge ioin os ssorcsssetirvnlsasvousachinasstuehe utzon loead sopevattbmataencattor seuss 1
Chapter 2. Biographical Sketches of Ronald C. Gunn and James
CRAIG sa es shy iuad igen ebhnptvagaleoue thas Suaierawes vis teaisteneeRtsene Bras 5
Chapter 3. Correspondence of Ronald Campbell Gunn and James
Grant
Circular Head Scientific Journal (CHSJ), 21st June 1836
CrP ORE AIIU) aecoch tec iid we aot e eae usaneanteertvemereneria naan: 17
Circular Head Scientific Journal, Supplement
CT UTAT POACHING) 55, vata wistre lp ceteasine Ber bnir dt catiniy agitate Bia Balen enn’ oe
To the Editor, CHSJ, Contribution 18‘ (Grant to Gunn).......... 33
Letter, Grant to Gunn, 6 July 1836 wee cccccessseeceeesenees 49
Circular Head Scientific Journal, 29 July 1836
CETTE LONG PAML) 15 AIT e exianectarcatcteeenheneieten sede mun tennkeee =H
To the Editor, CHSJ, Communication 2"4
RCTIAN CLO) CHUM) Zn nsoseraned arenas ndiceeemedadiavtereertimattaesternnrne: 59
Circular Head Scientific Journal, 29 November 1836
(Giuinit: TO-GPANC) oss. 10, or yenaast rane cages tetas ayers Petes eM wi |

To the Editor, CHSJ, Communication 3" (Grant to Gunn)....87
Circular Head Scientific Journal, 29 April 1837

CET MTS GOA ie tarot canvas eccusterremi tesa pnaesevsn terme 103
Circular Head Scientific Journal, 11 July 1837

(TUITE GRATE) Sindee cshadercsaetacevcae Mean ceeaube er cada 115
Circular Head Scientific Journal, 1 August 1837

(ETT GG, GEATIL) Wel coca ircsubeclmecavce Cot ease Meets reeomaneree tes 131

Letter from Grant to Gunn, received 11 November 1837 ....141
Notes on the Birds of V.D.L., 20 November 1837

(GRUNT LOS GATITIY, vestacutire sotzebrnesneute ntsenetestacteredaes metiou need ote 163
Remarks on the Birds of V.D.L., 1 January 1838

CET UTI LO GREAME). 5 ht cer enttecenh hia etepeasruacta ke tower 171
Notes on the Birds of V. D. L., 15 February 1838

(ETUC POAC HE ATI) este railed dlvenadiedeaermndicsewroncer seated eserves 181
Birds of Van Diemen’s Land, 30 May 1838

(Giraie’ TO>GUIAIE) vosscecs 03 Divan ate aedeteatraeeheeet AV RIGTE NEES 187
Notes on the Birds of V. D. L., 26 June 1838

(CRUNT FO CAPATIOY Setacncserswusaerercestgenentson rend enacoemesmetatgenaetsaters 207

Vil

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Supplement to the Scientific Journal, December 1838

(RAEN FO GUAT) ei ak ee thy tase a Sa sel ch ls Sanaa te 295

Taxonomic list, ca. 1840, Gunn (with Grant) ..............e 227

Pie rate CoCr Baratasles the vues wrruraeae er la arn: aaeeurenw aiine Darel oeanecmeeesen ot 235

Appendix 1. List of birds mentioned in the correspondence ............ 241

Appendix II. List of birds, August 1837, by Gunn........... eee 249

TAGES a cteae te es ease anaes ea to tatiecctte ei eugene eadabanecue tite eein ee deee mien e eaedet 255
Vill

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PREFACE

The project began when a Tasmanian colleague, Robert Mesibov,
informed me of the existence of a correspondence between Ronald
Campbell Gunn and James Grant in the 1830s that dealt largely with
birds. I am an ornithologist and Robert an entomologist, and he indicat-
ed to me that he had transcribed much of the correspondence but that he
had no further interest in it and thought that as an ornithologist I might.
He was correct. I reviewed the correspondence on microfilm at the state
library in Hobart and decided that this correspondence represented an
early (1836-1838) ornithology of Tasmania (then Van Diemen’s Land).
I subsequently learned from Ian Wilson that the correspondence proba-
bly constitutes the first attempt by Tasmanians to study the ornithology
of their native birds. I thus decided that this correspondence should be
published and began transcribing the remainder of the the letters not
transcribed by Robert Mesibov.

The original letters presented in this volume in most cases were
hand-written in columns, often two columns per sheet. I have chosen to
retain the columnar format and simply transcribed running text, includ-
ing Gunn’s and Grant’s paragraph structure, indenting, and spaces
between paragraphs or sections. The transcriptions are as exact as pos-
sible, retaining capitalization (or lack thereof), commas, quotes, peri-
ods, dashes, and other punctuation. To enhance readability, in only a few
cases have I indicated errors in the original in spelling, the occasional
double word, for example, Parrot Parrot, or inconsistencies in capital-
ization. Determining if a word began with a capital or lower case letter
was often problematic; for example, Gunn’s lower case and upper case
“c” were very much the same. Often in the original, the end of lines in
the column served as commas and hence if transcribed without the
columnar structure appear as grammatical inconsistencies. Gunn made
virtually no corrections on his letters, hence the final product is a “first
draft” and hence grammatical problems can be expected. In one letter,
Grant made a first draft with very sloppy handwriting and a final draft
that he mailed to Gunn that was much neater. I chose to include here the
first draft because it contained several interesting short sections that he
deleted from the final draft. For hyphenated words at a line’s end, I have
used a single hyphen rather than their double hyphen (resembling an
equals = sign). I have chosen to retain underlining of scientific names
rather than placing them in italics. Grant frequently quoted in Latin

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from Vigors and Horsfield (1827) and other authors, and often was not
precise in the use of diacritical marks, capitalization, or punctuation,
and did not indicate sections that were in italics. His Greek words like-
wise have inconsistencies. I have retained Grant’s Latin transcriptions
rather than correcting them to the original, and have transcribed his
Greek words without correction. I checked quotes against originals and
have included citations including page numbers except for a few cases
for which I was unable to locate the original publication quoted. In order
to keep the index simple I have not indexed the upper level taxonomic
headings, scattered through the text of the letters, of the various
European workers. They are for the most part included in the taxonom-
ic list of Gunn and Grant presented on pages 227-234. I have also, for
simplicity, not indexed that section or the two appendices.

I have added the modern names for species in square brackets with-
in the transcribed original text so that the reader can easily know the
species under discussion. At the first mention of a species I have given
the common name followed by the scientific name, unless the names are
the same today as used in the letters, in which case I have not repeated
them. If the subspecies of the bird species is endemic to Tasmania, I
have included the subspecific name, completing the trinomial. If the
species is mentioned again in the text I have given the common name
only. Scientific names follow Dickinson (2003). The higher taxonomic
categories, for example, order, have changed substantially since the
time of Gunn and Grant, and are currently in a state of flux, mostly as
the result of recent molecular DNA studies. As a result I have made only
minimal suggestions as to current higher order categories. I have includ-
ed commentary interspersed throughout the text and indicated commen-
tary by placing it in brackets. Occasional words were illegible or near-
ly so. For most of these words I have entered my best guess and fol-
lowed the word with [?]. To enhance readibility I have used bold-face
type for all bracketed material.

The transcriptions in this volume consist of (1) a series of letters
from Robert Campbell Gunn to James Grant, whimsically entitled The
Circular-Head Scientific Journal, (2) letters to Gunn from Grant on
notes and remarks on the birds of Van Diemen’s Land (V.D.L.), (3) let-
ters from Grant to Gunn headed To the Editor of the Circular Head
Scientific Journal, (4) letters from Gunn on notes and remarks on the
birds of V.D.L., (5) a letter by Grant on the birds of V.D.L. and its sup-
plement, (6) a list on the taxonomic order of birds by Gunn and Grant

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(1840?), and (7) a list of birds by Gunn, August 1837. The letters were
exchanged between 1836 and 1838 while Gunn was a Magistrate at
Circular Head and Grant was living in Launceston. Gunn and his circle
of friends had an extensive correspondence, much of it in a jocular vein
(lan J. Wilson pers. comm.), but the letters presented here were very
serious science and the earliest scientific work on birds in Tasmania by
people resident there. The letters included some minor sections on
mammals and reptiles that have not been included here. I have present-
ed the letters in chronological order.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I thank Clemency Fisher of the Liverpool Museums for her gracious
hospitality while I visited the Museum. I thank James Kay of the
Library & Archives of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, United
Kingdom, for providing me with a copy of the portrait of a young
Ronald Campbell Gunn. Graeme Powell and Marie-Louise Ayres of the
Australian National Library, where the original Gunn papers are
archived, and Tony Marshall of the State Library of Tasmania, Hobart,
were most helpful in locating documents relating to Gunn and Grant,
providing me with an opportunity to view documents and securing per-
missions. All figures, unless otherwise specified, are courtesy of the
Australian National Library, Canberra. My daughter Elizabeth (Lisa)
Davis corrected my transcriptions of Greek words. Special thanks goes
to Ian J. Wilson, who provided much information and copies of docu-
ments in his posession relating to Gunn and Grant, and sharing with me
his in-depth knowledge of early Tasmania. I thank Lynn Blackwood,
Walter Boles, Leo Joseph, John Kricher, Hamish Maxwell-Stewart, C.
Stuart Houston, Libby Robin, and Ian Wilson for reviewing earlier
drafts of the manuscript. I further thank Walter Boles, who edited this
volume of the Memoir series. His knowledge of the taxonomy of
Australian birds and the history of its nomenclature has immeasurably
strengthened the manuscript. I owe a profound debt of gratitude to
Robert Mesibov, who brought the correspondence of Gunn and Grant to
my attention, and who transcribed more than half of it.

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Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION

The island that since 1856, the year that the colony was granted self-
government, has officially been named Tasmania, was originally settled
as Van Diemen’s Land, so named by Abel Tasman, the discover of the
island, in 1642. Van Diemen’s land was settled as a penal colony by the
British in 1803, and convict ships arrived there until 1853 (Boyce
2008a). About 72,000 convicts were brought to Tasmania during that
half century, and they constituted a majority of the population. In con-
trast to the harsh ecological conditions at Port Jackson (Sydney) in New
South Wales, Van Diemen’s land had a mild climate, extensive water,
and extensive grasslands that had been tended by the native Aboriginal
population with fire for millenia. The absence of the Dingo (Canis lupus
dingo) resulted in an abundance of kangaroo, wallaby, and Emu
(Dromaius novaehollandiae diemenensis) for game (Boyce 2008b).
During the 1820s free land grants brought rapid settlement of the best
farming and grazing lands that stretch from Hobart Town (now Hobart)
to Launceston, effectively ending two decades of shared land use and
producing an often wealthy elite class that established political and
financial control of the island. In this period of settlement, largely engi-
neered by Lieutenant Govenor George Arthur, William Effington
Lawrence, who was to become a close friend of Ronald Campbell
Gunn, came to Van Diemen’s Land, receiving a 12,000-acre land grant
with 2000 acres more granted to his son (Boyce 2008a). Gunn’s broth-
er, William, arrived in the early 1820s and also received a land grant. It
was into this ecological and political setting that Ronald Campbell
Gunn in 1830, and James Grant in 1834, arrived and became part of the
elite (see Chapter 2).

Ronald Campbell Gunn and James Grant were serious avian taxon-
omists. That is, they were primarily interested in the description, nam-
ing, and classification of birds, especially Tasmanian birds. Their work
is the first serious work on avian taxonomy of which we have a record
for Tasmania, and among the first for all of Australia. It is particularly
valuable in that it was conducted by individuals who resided in the
colony. Their work consisted primarily of collecting and naming the
birds of Tasmania. Most of the species had previously been named and

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described by European taxonomists from specimens sent back to them
from Australia (see Appendix I for authors and dates for original species
or subspecies descriptions). In fact, Gunn sent most of his specimens to
Sir William J. Hooker in Scotland, who distributed them to ornitholo-
gists for description and publication of any that might be new to science,
and John Edward Gray of the British Museum (Datta 1997).

Gunn and Grant’s major goal was to identify the birds they collect-
ed, compile a list of the birds of Tasmania, together with the natural his-
tory information that they were able to acquire. They had to arrange
their list in some hopefully meaningful way (avian systematics), and so
struggled to fit their birds into some classification scheme. This was a
struggle because the avian classification schemes of the early nineteenth
century were varied, with each European taxonomist having his own pet
scheme that grouped the higher taxa (e.g., order, suborder, tribe, fami-
ly) in different ways (Stresemann 1975, Walters 2003). It was clear that
a particular bird species had closer “affinities” (whatever that meant)
with some birds than to others. For example, all the gull species had
closer affinities to each other than to sparrows. Another problem was
how to organize the higher taxa. If you grouped all bird species into, for
example, six orders, how did you order the orders—were raptors placed
first, or should the wading birds be first? Emphasis was placed on a
“natural order,” but what did “natural” mean? Gunn and Grant were
exposed to a variety of different answers to these questions through the
books in their possession, including the writers who they most relied
upon while identifying the birds they collected. These included
Nicholas Vigors, John Latham, George Shaw, Louis Vieillot, William
Swainson, G L. Comte de Buffon, and Baron Cuvier (for detailed
accounts of these varied classification systems see Stresemann 1975 and
Walters 2003). Gunn was also influenced by ornithologists in what is
now Sydney, for example, the Macleay family. William Sharp Macleay,
who arrived in Sydney in 1838, was the first to propose a Quinary clas-
sification system that in turn influenced both Vigors and Swainson, and
even Charles Darwin (Di Gregorio 1996), as well as Gunn. Gunn visit-
ed Sydney and interacted with ornithologists and naturalists there.

The major problem with all of these “natural” classification sys-
tems—and some were rather mystical and bizarre, especially the
Quinary systems—was that they predated Darwin’s concept of evolu-
tion through natural selection. Most were predicated on the assumption
of fixity of species and some sort of hierarchy among living organisms

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INTRODUCTION 3

preordained by God (man was, of course, at the top of the ladder or
chain of being). With the concept of evolution came the idea that species
that were similar to each other were either closely related or had
evolved similar characteristics because they were subjected to similar
selective pressures. With Darwin, the construction of a “natural” classi-
fication became feasible.

Gunn and Grant’s struggle with “natural” classification systems
illustrates how impossible the task was for them two decades before
publication of Darwin’s classic work on evolution (1859). It is also
interesting to note that they flirted in several places with evolutionary
ideas.

Both Gunn and Grant were meticulous workers, and approached
their task with a great deal of common sense. Gunn, particularly, chid-
ed most European workers for not referring to the existing literature,
with a resulting proliferation of names for the same species, and for
incomplete and poor descriptions of the species they described. The lat-
ter made Gunn and Grant’s work of identifying some of their specimens
problematic. Because they had to rely on books for descriptions of
already-described species, they often tried to match their Tasmanian
specimens with descriptions of non-Australian species, which frequent-
ly led to mistakes and confusion.

John Gould, under the auspices of Lieutenant-Governor Sir John
Frankin and Lady Franklin, who were to have a profound effect on
Gunn’s career, arrived on the Australian and Tasmanian scene in 1838
(Sharpe 1893, Lambourne 1987, Tree 1992, Sauer 1998a). Gunn and
Grant apparently ceased their taxonomic bird projects, perhaps because
Gould soon dominated Australian ornithology, publishing his epic, The
Birds of Australia (1840-1848), and Handbook (1865). Or, perhaps,
Gunn was simply distracted by his many new duties after returning from
the isolation of Circular Head, and decided to dedicate his restricted free
time to his botanical studies. As late as 26 June 1838, Gunn indicated in
a letter to Grant (see pp. 209-210) that he still hoped to complete the
project of listing all of Tasmania’s birds:

“Having now by dint of indefatigable exertion in the space of two
years got through somewhat less than the eighth part of the Birds
of Van Diemen’s Land—we may hope that in the course of four-
teen years more we may by strenuous efforts get through the
Classification and naming of the other seven-eights . . . From

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time to time we shall be enabled to dovtail into the Series any odd
species we may kick up & it is possible by & bye—when atten-
tion is drawn to the Subject—that occasional New Holland Birds
will be blown across, fished up & added to our Tasmanian
Fauna.”

Gunn continued to collect birds and provided Gould with speci-
mens at least through 1849 (Sauer 1998b, 1999, 2001). The classifica-
tion system (see pp. 227-234) in Gunn’s handwriting contains the date
of 1840, and thus indicates that his ornithological interests persisted.
There is no question, however, that the correspondence of Grant and
Gunn from 1836-1838 was the seminal serious study of Tasmanian
birds.

The ornithological work of Gunn and Grant was very much a work
in progress when Gould arrived. They discussed in their letters between
60 and 70 species birds that are on the current list of Tasmanian birds (it
was not always clear, in some cases, whether their comments were
about Tasmanian birds or those found elsewhere) of nearly 200 species
that could be expected on the island today. They also discussed a num-
ber of species found as far afield as North America and Europe, usual-
ly when discussing or summarizing books that they had received and
recently read. It is interesting to note that they seemingly ignored entire
groups of birds, for example the shorebirds (waders) or gulls and terns,
and did not deal with some of the endemic species (e.g., the Strong-
billed (Melithreptus validirostris) and Black-headed (M. affinis)
Honeyeaters that they presumably had an opportunity to collect and
study, and the 1837 list of birds by Gunn indicates that they were famil-
iar with many more species than they discussed in detail in their corre-
spondence (see Appendix II). Nonetheless, their work on Tasmanian
ornithology was substantial, and their letters are an important contribu-
tion to the history of Australian ornithology.

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Chapter 2

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHS OF RONALD CAMPBELL
GUNN AND JAMES GRANT

Ronald Campbell Gunn—Although James Grant has faded into obscu-
rity, that Ronald Campbell Gunn remains a person of interest is attested
to by the continuing publications about him and his work (e.g.,
Reynolds 1926, Baulch 1961, Burns and Skemp 1961, Buchanan 1988,
Wilson 2002, Voss 2003, Blackwood 2005). A statue of Gunn by sculp-
tor Peter Corlett was dedicated on 4 July 2006, in Launceston,
Tasmania, where he spend many years of his life (Figure 1). Gunn was

tS Pe ee ‘=, ee
ae
ge me eet ?

Figure 1. Statue by sculptor Peter Corlett, the inscription in the
base reading: Ronald Campbell Gunn, F.L.S., F.R.S., Botanist, 1808-
1881. Photograph by WED.

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born on 4 April 1808 at Cape Town, South Africa, during tumultuous
times in Europe, the Napoleonic Wars casting a pall across the European
landscape. Ronald’s father, William, was a lieutenant in the 72nd
Highland Regiment, and Ronald spent his early years on the island of
Réunion (Bourbon). In 1814 the military family returned briefly to the
Cape of Good Hope and, fortuitously for Ronald’s future, became
friends with Lt.-Col. William Sorell, who later became the Lieutenant-
Governer of Van Diemen’s Land, where he would be indirectly influen-
tial in Ronald Campbell Gunn’s settling there. The family then moved
to moved to the West Indies, and several years later to Scotland, to
Aberdeen, where Gunn received a parochial education designed to pro-
mote a military career (Baulch 1961).

Ronald’s elder brother, also a William, in 1822 traveled to
Australia, where his ship stopped at Hobart and a chance meeting with
Lt.-Col. Sorell led to him settling in Tasmania (then Van Diemen’s
Land) and receiving a land grant. Meanwhile, Ronald returned to the
West Indies, where he worked for the Royal Engineers at Antigua, mar-
ried and had two children. Brother William finally persuaded Ronald to
bring his family to Tasmania, and the family returned to England in
1829, and in early February 1830 set out for Hobart (then Hobart Town)
aboard the Greenock. He brought letters of introduction and the support
of brother William, and soon was appointed superintendent of a convict
barracks in Hobart, under the supervision of his brother. Gunn was obvi-
ously a very competent individual and by December of 1830 had moved
to Launceston where he became Assistant Superintendent of Convicts.
Because Van Diemen’s Land was a penal colony, there was much work
available managing convicts. He became Police Magistrate in 1833,
with a rather heavy case load. He soon became friends with Robert
William Lawrence, a man of about his own age whose father, William
Effington Lawrence, was a major landowner in the region. Robert
Lawrence and Thomas Scott stimulated an interest for botany in Gunn,
and by letter introduced Gunn to William J. Hooker, a botanist and pro-
fessor at Glasgow University, with the idea that Gunn would become a
collector for the famous botanist. Despite Robert Lawrence’s death in
1832, Gunn continued to botanize and collect for Hooker (Burns and
Skemp 1966).

Gunn was offered the position of Police Magistrate of Circular
Head (a large area in the far northwest of Tasmania), a position with a
light work load that would give him an opportunity to expand his plant

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES yi

collecting activities and to develop his burgeoning interests in other
fields of natural history, including ornithology. His life was not without
complications, however. His wife had trouble adapting to colonial life
(see letter from Gunn to Hooker, Burns and Skemp 1961, p. 50) and
Gunn sent her back to her family in Dublin, where she died in 1836,
leaving Gunn, at age 28, with five children to care for.

Nevertheless, this several years in the relative isolation of the far
northwest led to the correspondence with his friend James Grant in
Launceston, which constitutes the bulk of this book, and contains the
first body of ornithological knowledge about the birds of Tasmania.

During the early 1830s, as Gunn began serious plant collecting for
W. J. Hooker, he developed a need to accumulate a natural history
library. In a 1 July 1833 letter to Hooker he stated,

“T am still without a single work, and can only obtain occasional
glimpses at Books on Botany belonging to my friends—None are
to be obtained by purchase either in this country or New South
Wales.” (Burns and Skemp 1961, pp. 31-32).

At the time there were no public libraries in Hobart or Launceston,
so Gunn was forced to make his own collection of natural history refer-
ence books, a library that became one of the finest in colonial Tasmania.
A manuscript catalog of the holdings of the Gunn library (Gunn 1848)
shows the rapid progress that he had made. The catalog has 70 entries
for zoology, 255 for botany, and 77 for natural history in general
(Wilson 2002).

Gunn’s association with Hooker was a fruitful one for both parties.
Hooker received Tasmanian plant specimens, many of which were new
to science, and Gunn received books and had the honor of having a
genus (Gunnia) and about 60 plant species named after him (about half
of which are still valid, the others disappearing into synonomy). Gunn
also sent Hooker specimens of a broad spectrum of animals, including
birds and mammals that Hooker distributed for identification and
description leading ornithologists and mammalogists in Great Britain.

In a 30 March 1835 letter to Hooker, Gunn gave us our first indi-
cation that he had expanded his interest into birds and the frustrations
that this entailed,

“T regret I have been extremely unsuccessful in my pursuit of the
two other branches of Natural History, vizt. Birds and Insects—

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 8

With reference to Birds—I have tried in vain to acquire skill in
skinning them and have failed, and have been equally unsuccess-
ful in my search for a man capable of doing so—I do not howev-
er despair of procuring one of the first Bird skinners who arrives
in any prison ship from England . . .” (Burns and Skemp 1961,
pp. 41-44).

In a letter dated 6 May 1835, Gunn stated that he has shipped a box
of bird skins to Hooker, although most were badly preserved and from
the collection of his late friend Robert Lawrence. By 29 June 1835,
Gunn had found a professional bird skinner, James Lee (Buchanan
1988), and begun actively collecting birds around Launceston. In a 16
January letter to Hooker from Launceston, Gunn stated that he was
shipping,

“...a large Case containing 330 to 340 Skins of the Birds of this
Colony—A few skins of Birds (19) from New Holl. [mainland
Australia] and a few Animals [mammals] and Reptile skins of
this my adopted land.” (Burns and Skemp 1961, pp. 51-52).

One of the mammal specimens was an Eastern Barred Bandicoot
Perameles gunnii named in honor of Gunn by Gray in 1838.

Gunn was meticulous in packing specimens, and it was this care
that is at least partly responsible for the fact that more than 300 of
Gunn’s bird specimens are still extant in the collections of the British
Museum (Natural History) and the Liverpool Museums. Gunn told of
his packing procedures in a 5 February 1836 letter to Hooker,

“.. . | hope that they [the specimens] will reach you safe and
soon—the case is lined with tin and I have taken every precau-
tion by packing every specimen in paper and wool between, to
prevent any from rubbing or getting otherwise injured—Lots of
camphor and spirits of Turpentine have also been put in the box
so that I think they will be found perfectly free from insects .. .”
(Burns and Skemp 1961, p. 54).

Gunn had acquired a circle of close friends while in Launceston.
This is attested to not only by his extensive serious correspondence with
one member of this circle, James Grant, but also by a series of humor-
ous “newspapers” written and decorated by Gunn while he was at
Circular Head for the amusement of his Launceston friends (Wilson no

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 9

date). The newspapers as issued, under Gunn’s pseudonym Caleb
Comical, in chronological order were called, Horton Herald, North
West Literary Chronicle and Chronological List of Tasmania (Turnbull
1948) (16 issues were purchased in 1982 by the Archives Office of
Tasmania in Hobart, but in a 1990 inventory they were unfortunately
reported missing). While Grant was at Circular Head, a group of Gunn’s
friends, calling themselves “Longnose & Co.” wrote and illustrated a
skit, and James Grant, who was a watercolorist as well as physician
(Glover 1992), may well have been responsible for the caricatures that
accompanied the manuscript; the character, Caleb Comical, was certain-
ly Ronald Campbell Gunn. The skit provided insight into Gunn’s per-
sonality: “Through the liberties taken by his friends we can infer that he
was a seriously amusing character with a wicked sense of humor.”
(Wilson no date). These amusing interactions with his friends while he
was at Circular Head were in sharp contrast to his professional and very
serious correspondence with James Grant on the subject of ornithology.

Gunn did not suffer fools gladly, and could be very critical, as in a
2 September 1836 letter from Gunn to Hooker in which he blasted an
associate,

“He is really supremely ignorant, vain & conceited and although
we agree very well with each other, I must say that I have seldom
met with a young man who has seen so much of the world and
benefited so little by his experiences.” (Burns and Skemp 1961,
pp. 55-56).

In a 10 November 1836 letter (from Circular Head), Gunn continued his
assault on this hapless individual,

“His collections he always purchased where possible, and all his
other information he principally gleaned from me by copying my
various memoranda on Birds & Plants—But even with that assis-
tance so little research does he himself possess that I would rec-
ommend much caution in your publishing or acting upon infor-
mation received from him.—His ignorance can only be equaled
by his vanity and assumption of knowledge—or I might say
impudence.” (Burns and Skemp 1961, pp. 57-58).

You didn’t want Ronald Campbell Gunn to be angry with you. The let-
ters from Gunn to Grant in this volume occasionally take on a sharply
critical tone when Gunn perceived shortcomings in Grant.

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Circular Head proved to be everything Gunn had hoped for as far
as a caseload was concerned, as he explained in a letter to Hooker on 16
November 1836,

“My Police District is about 100 miles long . . . but extensive as
it is on the map I am happy to say the duties are almost a
sinecure—and as compared to the situation I left, entirely so—
At Launceston I have frequently tried up to 30 cases in a day—
here I have had only 18 in six months .. .” (Burns and Skemp
1961, pp. 58-60).

In the same letter Gunn expressed relief that Colonel Arthur, the
Lieutenant-Governor of Van Diemen’s Land, had left, as Gunn thought
Arthur unresponsive to science. Gunn then showed a strong interest in
conservation and states,

“Many of our animals and Birds will become extinct or nearly so
yet no attempt at a Museum, Botanical or Zoological Gardens has
been made... Emus are now extremely rare—and in a few years
will be quite gone, and no means has been taken in the Colony to
domesticate or breed them.”

Gunn then expressed hope that the new Lieutenant-Governor, Sir
John Franklin, who took office in January 1837, would alter matters.
This would certainly prove to be the case. Gunn managed to send two
Emus (the Tasmanian species, or subspecies depending on which taxon-
omist you talk to) to Hooker, and these were reportedly the only speci-
mens in European museums (both were possibly destroyed during
World War II [Burns and Skemp 1961], although two specimens cur-
rently reside in the British Museum (Natural History) [R. Schodde, pers.
comm.]). The Tasmanian Emu is presumed to have become extinct
about the middle of the nineteenth century.

The leisure time that the Circular Head position afforded was uti-
lized by Gunn to greatly expand his collecting, both of plants for
Hooker, and birds. He was also delighted with Sir John and Lady Jane
Franklin, reporting in a 15 February 1838 letter to Hooker,

“Sir John & Lady Franklin are sincerely desirous of forwarding
the Cause of Natural History in this Colony.—A Nat. Hist. Socy.
has been Established and Lady Franklin is about purchasing a
piece of ground out of her private income for a collection of our

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BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 11

indigenous Plants—a thing most urgently wanted.” (Burns and
Skemp 1961, pp. 70-72).

Gunn had been invited to meet with the new Governor and his wife
in 1837, and accompanied them on a visit to Flinders Island. He later
accompanied Lady Franklin and British ornithologist John Gould on an
aborted trip to Port Davey and Macquarie Harbour on the west coast of
Tasmania (Sauer 1982), spending two to three weeks at Recherche Bay.
Gunn was offered a position in Hobart as Second Assistant Police
Magistrate, and thus on 14 October 1838, Gunn’s extraordinarily pro-
ductive two years at Circular Head came to an end (Baulch 1961). He
prophetically suggested that, “My present situation will occupy my time
more fully than it has been for some years past—so that my Natl.
History Collections are likely to be small for some time to come. . .”
(Gunn to Hooker 30 November 1838; Burns and Skemp, pp. 81-82).
Gunn continued to collect plants, including live ones for shipment to
Great Britain for Hooker, and some birds, but his own writing on birds
became sadly diminished. The Gunn/Grant correspondence from
Circular Head and Launceston was the high point of Gunn’s and Grant’s
ornithological efforts. It seems likely that the presence of John Gould
beginning in 1838, and the collecting efforts of his collector John
Gilbert, may have doused the flames of inquiry about birds. Gould went
on to publish his massive illustrated work on the birds of Australia
(1840-1848), and his comprehensive Handbook to the Birds of Australia
(1865).

Gunn did make some interesting suggestions, however, about birds
as dispersers of plants. In a 25 December 1846 letter to Hooker Gunn
suggested,

“The wide distribution of Aquatic plants is a matter of interest
and I am led to think that Migratory Birds assist nature—or are
rather the means used by nature in scattering these plants.”
(Burns and Skemp 1961, pp. 115-116).

The attentions of Sir John and Lady Franklin brought Gunn oppor-
tunities, and helped him to the forefront of Tasmanian natural history. In
Hobart he became Secretary of the Horticultural Society founded in
1839, and in 1840 he became Secretary of the Tasmanian Society that
Franklin had started to promote scientific enquiry (Baulch 1961). He
became Private Secretary to Sir Franklin, and in this capacity met sci-

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 12

entists who visited Hobart, including the son of William J. Hooker,
Joseph Dalton Hooker, a man with interests in birds, and to whom he
sent specimens. Gunn also accompanied J. D. Hooker on collecting trips
while he was in Hobart, aiding greatly in the preparation of his Flora
Tasmaniae (1860). In his introduction to this important work Hooker
stated,

“There are few Tasmanian plants that Mr. Gunn has not seen
alive, noted their habits in a living state, collected large suites of
specimens with singular tact and judgment. These are transmitted
to England in perfect preservation, and are accompanied with
notes that display a remarkable power of observation, and a fac-
ulty for seizing important characters in their physiogomy, such as
few experienced botanists possess.” (Reynolds 1926, p. 14).

In 1839 Gunn, at age 33, remarried and resigned from his govern-
ment jobs, and became the manager of the large William E. Lawrence
estates, living in Launceston. When the Franklins were recalled, he also
became manager of their estate. Franklin’s successor attempted to
merge the Tasmanian Society with his newly founded Royal Society of
Van Diemen’s Land, but met resistance, and Gunn moved the
Tasmanian Society to Launceston, where he remained in charge until
under yet another Governor’s tenancy, in 1848, the two organizations
were merged. For the new Society, Gunn was both Secretary and the
editor of the new journal, The Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science,
Agriculture, Statistics, &c. In 1856 he built a home, Newstead House,
where he lived out his years.

Gunn became active in politics. He was elected to the Legislative
Council, and in 1855, when the Colony was granted self-government, to
the House of Assembly, a seat that he held until 1860. He then held a
series of governmental posts until his retirement in 1876 when his
health failed (Figure 2). He died on 13 March 1881.

Gunn had had a busy life. He had had five children with his first
wife and five more with his second. His writing had largely been con-
fined to a series (see Buchanan 1988 p. 10 for a list) of papers for The
Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science, Agriculture, Statistic, &c. (later
Papers and Proceedings of the Royal Society of Van Diemen’s Land
(Tasmania). He also collaborated with James Backhouse in producing
the first locally produced botany Index Plantarum (1835). He con-
tributed a note to the London Journal of Botany that mentioned birds,

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 13

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 13

Figure 2. Portrait of Ronald Campbell Gun as an older man.
Courtesy of the State Library of Tasmania.

and he contributed notes on birds for John West’s The History of
Tasmania (West 1852) (Whittell 1954). He authored or co-authored 11
papers in The Tasmanian Journal of Natural Science, Agriculture,
Statistics, &c. one of which (1849) was probably the first published
record of moa bones (Burns and Skemp 1961). The other 10 papers
dealt with plants or fossil bones. His personal plant collection was given
to the Royal Society of Tasmania, and ended up in the National
Herbarium of New South Wales. His extensive work in natural history
earned him the election as Fellow of the Linnean Society in 1850 and to
the Royal Society of London in 1854, the first Tasmanian so honored,
and the only Tasmanian so honored in the nineteenth Century (Wilson
2002).

James Grant—Relatively little is known about the life of James Grant.
He was born ca. 1813. He arrived in Van Diemen’s Land in 1834 aboard

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 14

the ship Medway. bearing letters of introduction and references from the
Secretary of State of England and from his patron the Marquis of
Midlothian (Burns and Skemps 1961, Glover 1992, Wilson no date). He
was a physician medical settler, and his first position was as a First
Class Assistant Surgeon at the hospital at Launceston. He soon became
part of Gunn’s circle of friends, and became interested in ornithology.
He was a member of the Tasmanian Society (forerunner of the Royal
Society of Tasmania) and contributed four papers to The Tasmanian
Journal of Natural Science, Agriculture, &c., one co-authored with
Gunn. Two of his papers dealt with birds, one with the Australian sub-
species of the Eurasian Coot (Fulica atra australis) (1846a) and one on
the Grey Goshawk (Accipiter novaehollandiae) (1846b).

if a ta LCC Frey

Figure 3. Masked Lapwing (Vanellus miles) painting, attributed to James
Grant (bird’s name, Vanellus Gallinaceous, appears to be in Grant’s handwrit-
ing). Page size: 15 cm x 17.5 cm.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 15

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 15

Grant was an artist (Kerr 1992) (Figure 3) and his drawing of rap-
tor heads in his letters to Gunn attest to his skill; he published three
drawings in one of his papers. His personal life may not have always
been a great success. Lady Franklin, in her diary (quoted in Burns and
Skemp 1961, p. 80), tells of meeting a Mr. Bickford who lost an eye
when hit by shot while Grant was quail hunting. Bickford reported that
Grant had, “neglected him tho’ he was suffering much.” For his part,
Grant used the excuse of extreme poverty to explain his lack of atten-
dance. We see no signs of problems in Grant’s correspondence with
Gunn, however, and Gunn said of Grant in a 31 July 1838 letter to
William Hooker, “A very clever young medical gentleman, Dr. J. Grant
in Launceston, is endeveavouring to arrange and classify our Birds—in
which I am lending my humble assistance—or rather we are trying to
find out the names, &c....” (Burns and Skemp 1961, p. 79). Grant was
also a member of the close circle of friends, “Longnose & Co.”.

Grant practiced in Launceston until 1851, when he moved to an
estate on the Arthur River in Tasmania’s far northwest, and became the
coroner for the Woolnorth district. He was back practicing medicine in
Launceston in 1856. He died in 1865 from complications following sur-
gery for injuries sustained in falling from his horse. Grant’s death was
apparently a great blow to Gunn, who had maintained their friendship
through the years. Gunn’s friendship with Grant is attested to by a sil-
ver tray that bears the inscription, “To Ronald Campbell Gunn Esq. A
Token of Esteem & Gratitude from the relatives of the late Dr. James
Grant.” (Burns and Skemp 1961, p. 81). Like Gunn, Grant’s writings on
subjects ornithological were diminished after John Gould had spent
time in Tasmania.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 16

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Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 17

CHAPTER 3

The

Circular-Head Scientific Journal.[Figure 4]

Vol. I. No.I Tuesday 215 June 1836

[column break]

subspecies]

To Our Correspondent.

We have during our short residence

at Circular Head been so much
occupied by the vulgar but very
necessary operations of attending
to our creature comforts in getting
our house cleaned, repaired and
put to rights — our various traps
unpacked and arranged in

proper order — and though last
not least the various wants in

the way of food put in such a
train of being supplied as to
render starvation improbable,

&c &c that we have been hitherto
unable to devote that portion of
our time to Scientific Pursuits
which we hope in future to do —
With that apology — we begin. —

Names of Birds, Natives of

Van Diemen’s Land, as far as

can be correctly ascertained; with
afewremarks. byR.C.G

Gratis to our
Correspondents

Aquila fucose. Wedge tailed Eagle —
[Wedge-tailed Eagle Aquila audax fleayi, a Tasmanian endemic

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 18

This is our eagle or eagle hawk — The

original name was Aquila fuscosa

but altered (in my opinion erroneously)

to the above. —

Dromaius Nova Hollandiae. Emu.
[Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae diemenensis, the now extinct
Tasmanian subspecies]

Of this genus only one species exists.

Cygnus atratus. Black Swan. —
[Cygnus atratus|

Plyctolophus galeritus. Greater

Sulphur crested Cockatoo. — Our white —
[Sulphur-crested Cockatoo Cacatua galerita|

called Psittacus galeritus in the old

books. —

Barita Tibicen. Piping Crow
[Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen hypoleuca, an endemic
Tasmanian subspecies]

Our Common Magpie — called Gracula

tibicen in Shaw’s Zoology - & Coracias
[Shaw 1800-1826 (1809), Vol. 7, part 2, p. 465]

[page break]

Tibicen of Latham. —
Cereopsis Novae Hollandiae. Cape
Barren Goose. —

[Cereopsis novaehollandiae|
The above Six names are from a
book called “Gardens & Menageries of the
Zoological Society” by Mr. Bennett
the Secretary — 1831. — accompanied by
very correct figures. —

[Bennett 1831]

Psittacus eximus. Non-pareil Parrot
[Eastern Rosella Platycerus eximius diemenensis, the endemic

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 19

CORRESPONDENCE 19

Tasmanian subspecies, which is the largest race of the Eastern
Rosella.]|

is our Roselle — Or as some call it

Rose-Hill — viz. after a place near
[Rose-Hill is now know as Parramata, a suburb of Sydney.] [“viz”
is a Latin abbreviation for “namely,” “that is to say,” etc.]

Sydney where it was very abundant.

Psittacus terrestris. Ground Parrot.
[Pezoporus wallicus leachi, an endemic Tasmania subspecies]

The one disected [sic] by you. —

Turdus punctatus. Spotted Shouldered

Thrush — Called also here “ground Dove.”
[Spotted Quail-thrush Cinclosoma punctatum dovei, an endemic
Tasmanian subspecies]

it keeps much on the ground making

very short flights. —

The above three names from a

book called “Specimen of the

Zoology of New Holland by Geo.

Shaw, M.D. &c 1794 [Shaw 1794] — of the two

parrots correct coloured figures

[column break]
are given. —

Muscicapa flabellifera. Fan tailed
Fycatcher. — this I think agrees very

[Grey Fantail Rhipidura albiscapa albiscapa, an endemic Tasmania
subspecies]

correctly with my No. 1. — Some
[Gunn and Grant sent each other specimens of birds they had col-
lected and preserved, and referred to them by their numbered
labels.|

specimens from New Holland appear

a little different but two coloured

plates that I have seen lead me to

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM B= 20

think I am correct.

Muscicapa erythrogastra — Red bellied

Flycatcher. — The Musicapa Multicolor
[Scarlet Robin Petroica boodang leggii, an endemic Tasmanian
subspecies]

of Gmelin — This bird is figured &

coloured in a Copy of Latham’s

Index Ornithologicus which I possess
[Latham 1790]

& is evidently my No. 2 — now sent —

He says — “Head, neck, &c black, breast

& belly of a deep carmine” — For
[Latham 1790, Vol. 11, p. 479]

farther Remarks see a subsequent

article. —

Alauda Novae Zealandiae. New Zealand

Lark — This is I think the lark which
[Australian Pipit Anthus australis bistriatus, an endemic Tasmania

subspecies]
is so abundant about Launceston,
running much on the ground, also
found on the Sea shores. — No. 5 a bad
specimen sent. —

[page break]

Silvia cyanea. — Superb Warbler —
[Superb Fairy-wren Malurus cyaneus cyaneus, an endemic
Tasmanian subspecies]

is our Blue Wren —

Pipra striata. Striped-headed
[Striated Pardalote Pardalotus striatus striatus, a breeding endemic
Tasmanian subspecies]

Manakin — Is I think my No. 6. — now

sent. — fig? In “Latham Ind. Orn” —
[Latham 1790]

The last five names are from

Latham’s Index Ornithologicus —

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 21.

CORRESPONDENCE 21
[Latham 1790]

Gracula strepera. Noisy Grakle [sic]
[Grey Currawong Strepera versicolor arguta, a Tasmanian endemic
subspecies]

is our Black Magpie with the white

vent — the “Coracias strepera” of Latham

Corvus graculinus or White-vented Crow

of White’s Voy. to N.S. Wales. — The other
[White 1790]

species without the white vent is

abundant here if you want any

specimens, but not the above species. —

[The species with the white vent, Grey Currawong Strepera versi-
color arguta is the ‘Clinking’ Currawong, a Tasmanian endemic
subspecies, which is the darkest and largest race of Grey
Currawong. The other Tasmanian species, without the white vent
(the vent is black), is the Tasmanian endemic Black Currawong S.
fuliginosa.|

Loxia nitida. Nitid grosbeak —
[Beautiful Firetail Stagonopleura bella|

Is I think my No. 7. — now sent. — It

agrees with a description I once read. —

I have seen by the bye no other species

of Grosbeak in V.D.L.

Merops carunculatus — of Shaw’s Zoology
[Red Wattlebird Anthrochaera carunculata, which is not found in
Tasmania|

called also Corvus carunculatus &

Corvus paradoxus in the older works

[column break]
is evidently our Wattle-bird. — What

[Gunn is wrong here. The Tasmanian wattlebird is the Yellow
Wattlebird Anthochaera paradoxa, a Tasmnian endemic species. |

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 22

is its new name?

Falco albus — White Hawk?
[This most certainly is the Grey Goshawk Accipiter novaehollandi-
ae. In Tasmania, only the white morph of this polymorphic species
occurs.|

Psittacus verticalis — Is this our

Common green Parrot? it is
[Green Rosella Platycerus caledonicus, an endemic Tasmanian
species. |

very abundant here — but the Rosella
[Eastern Rosella]

is never seen in this quarter —

Is Psittacus sanguinolentus of

Shaw our Parrakeet with the claret

coloured tail — red shouldered? -

[The ‘Parrakeet’ with the claret-coloured tail is the Swift Parrot
Lathamus discolor, a Tasmanian breeding endemic that migrates to
the mainland for the winter. |

A little time will I think

enable me to ferret out a few
more names — but as yet I have
not had time. — I will send you
the Specific descriptions & other
Remarks on any species you may
require provided you do not possess
them in your work — The above
notes will however perhaps assist
you a little. — Send me all the
names you can — & any Queries
on mine now sent — We cannot
arrive at the truth except by

[page break]

continued investigation, & the Van

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CORRESPONDENCE Zo

Diemen’s Land Birds though very
similar to those of New South
Wales may prove quite distinct, &
most of the specimens described
have been from the latter colony.—

[It would be interesting to know what Gunn thought about the
reasons behind the fact that some birds that are geographically
isolated from other birds got to be different and the fact that some
birds seemed to be more closely related, or at least were more like
some birds than others. This was two decades before Darwin and
Wallace demolished the concept of fixity of species, and initiated a
new paradigm, the evolution of species by natural selection. Gunn
clearly recognized that many Tasmanian birds differed in small
ways from similar birds on the mainland. One wonders if the idea
of gradual changes in species occurred to him. Between 1836 and
1838 Darwin was aboard the Beagle making his observations that
would two decades later flower into his magmum opus Origin of
Species (1859).]

The length of the preceding article
has left us little room for the
many miscellaneous topics which
we hope in future to introduce
into this our “Scientific Journal” —
Circular Head affords considerable
novelty — two birds have been
shot by us — one entirely new &
the other rare — Specimens are
sent to you — numbered — viz. [?]
The entirely new one to us No. 8 —
The rare one in other parts No. 9 —
both are very common here, — No. 8 —
associates a good deal with the
Honeysuckle Birds — or at least
[New Holland Honeyeater Phylidonyris novaehollandiae canescens,
an endemic Tasmanian subspecies]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 24

24
has a habit not dissimilar —
[column break]

the flight consists of more sudden
jerks — it flies higher — 1s wilder —
also much more on the ground —
The other (no. 9) is common in our
garden & yard hopping about picking
up insects, — &c The Rosella Parrot
[Eastern Rosella]
Parrot [sic] is never seen, — The White
Vented Black Magpie
[Grey Currawong]
& the Barita
tibicen
[Australian Magpie]
are also we are informed
never found at or near Circular Head
the latter we miss much, its note
being delightful. — The Miner does
[probably Noisy Miner Manorina melanocephala leachi, an endem-
ic Tasmanian subspecies]
not exist — but we shall make out a
list of the rarae Aves — which we
must beg to be supplied with from
Launceston and in return shall
send a list of the Common ones
here which may prove rare near
the City of the North. —

Our long Article on the Red bellied
Flycatchers we must commence
in a Supplementary sheet. —

[end of letter]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 25

CORRESPONDENCE

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 26

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Figure 5. Circular-Head Scientific Journal, Supplement.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 27

Supplement to the
Circular-Head Scientific Journal [Figure 5]

Vol I. No. I. Tuesday 21% June 1836 Gratis to
Our correspondents

[The following two lines appear to be in Grant’s handwriting.|
On the different Species of Muscicapa
Know as Robin Red-Breasts in Australia

Muscicapa erythrogastra as described
[Scarlet Robin]

in your Memorandum copied from

the Linnaean Transactions and from

Coloured figure in Latham’s Ind.

Orn. Is evidently the Specimen
[Latham 1790]

now sent marked No. 2 — The

black throat is a striking distinction

from the Specimen No. 3 also sent —
[probably the Flame Robin Petroica phoenicea, which has an
orange throat]

the black is also more dark and I

find it continues equally marked

in all the specimens I have seen

as also the different colour of the

red on the breast & belly — I do not

think age is the cause — or that

they are the same species — or even

varieties of the same. —

[column break]
[In this last sentence we see that Gunn is aware of what after
Darwin would be considered subspecies, populations of bird that

differ slightly from other populations—varieties. One wonders
what he thought might cause these differences between varieties.|

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 28

Muscicapa Lathami is evidently not

No. 3. the colour of the breast and

abdomen “purpureo-roseis” — agrees

with a species which exists in V.D.L.

but is rare — I saw one on Beveridges
[This is probably the Pink Robin Petroica rodinogaster, which is
an uncommon resident of Tasmania and is also found in Victoria.
It is possible that the specimens that Gunn refers to from New
South Wales were of the somewhat similar plumaged Rose Robin
P. rosea although the male of the latter has gray upperparts,
whereas in the male Pink Robin they are black.|

farm — & saw some specimens in a

collection from New South Wales in the

possession of Mr. John Abbott. — I have

also heard of its existing here. C. Hd. — The
[Circular Head]

description of Muscicapa Lathami as

given by you from the Linnean Trans.

Strangely disagrees with that given

in Shaws Zoology to the same species.

He says “upper parts brown, the under

yellow; crown of Head & cheeks black,

quills dark brown & some with yellow

margins &c.” He must evidently
[Shaw 1800-1826 (1817), Vol. 10, Part 2, p. 336] [This description
is of the Yellow-throated Scrubwren (Sercornis citreogularis),
which is not found in Tasmania. |

be describing a different Bird to

the M. Lathami of the Linnean Soc’y.

[page break]

Muscicapa Goodenovii. — is in my
[Red-capped Robin Petroica goodenovii|

opinion the specimen now sent you

No. 4. —1n the specific description

it says ‘fronte, pectoreque vivide
coccineis” — fronte being the forehead. —

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 29

CORRESPONDENCE

[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 245]
This beautiful species is from New
South Wales and though a bad one
being the only one I possess I must
beg you to return after you have
examined. — Having now made
a few Remarks on the three species
of Muscicapa of which you gave
me the description I think the
species sent as No. 3, is undescribed
& certainly none of the three above
alluded to — the var. B. of M. Lathami
I have not mentioned as the difference
is only in the tail. —
Any further Remarks and Researches
on this point will be welcomely
received — I shall also make a
few further observations as the two
species exist here. —

[column break]
Crows.

The Crow with the white Iris shaded with
blue into the pupil is very abundant

here — feeding on the dead fish &c cast
up on the Beach. — I think 3 species

on examination will be found. — viz. [?]
One with brown iris. — One with a
brown iris but white orbits or if I
recollect a large white patch behind

the eye — & the third with the white iris
now alluded to & the plumage more

like that of a raven. — your observations

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 30

on this point are requested — as also
the specific names of any of the species —

[The only crow now found in Tasmania is the Forest Raven Corvus
tasmanicus and it is likely that it was the only species present dur-
ing Gunn’s time. Juvenile Forest Ravens have brown irises and
hence Gunn was, in all probability, confusing juvenile differences
with species characters. Forest Ravens have relatively short tails
and massive bills compared to other Australian corvids. The fact
that Gunn makes no mention of differences in these characters
among his specimens suggests that all were the same species.|

[A paragraph on snakes is not included here.]|

[end of letter]

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CORRESPONDENCE

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bie! eS Nee KS or eS aa upp 4 "
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—$—

Figure 6. To the Editor, Circular-Head Scientific Journal (draft). The page
ngth x width) was approximately 23 cm x 18.2 cm.

size of Grant’s letters (le

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM B= 33

[The following letter is to Ronald C. Gunn by James Grant of
Launceston.]|

To The Editor

of the
Circular-Head Scientific Journal

Contribution. 15*

[Transcribed here is a first draft of a letter sent 5 July 1836.|
[Figures 6 and 7]

Figure 7. To the Editor, Circular-Head Scientific Journal, 5 July 1836

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 34

34
To Our Editor

We hailed with much pleasure the
first no of the Scientific Journal
and derived real gratification
from its perusal — and we

hope that any gleanings we
May be able to collect and
transmit may be found worthy
of a place therein

— but as the field of

Nature is very vast and

our knowledge being little

we are well aware that

our observations and reason

— ings may often prove false
and therefore hope that our
Editor will not reject such
contributions but carefully
examine — put

them to rights — & thus and [sic]
set us in the right path

to the temple of Truth!
I!

[column break]

Fam. Strigidae

Genus. Noctua. Sav.
[Savigny]

Species. Noctua maculata
[Southern Boobook Ninox novaeseelandiae leucopsis, a Tasmanian
endemic subspecies]

This is the small spotted Owl

two specimens of which we procured

in the neighbourhood of Launceston.
One we shot in the heat of

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 35

CORRESPONDENCE

the day in the month of April

when we were attracted to a

ravine by a number of

wrens & fan-tailed flycatchers
[Superb Fairy-wren; Grey Fantail|

through the midst of which

he darted and settled

on a low scrubby bush, shaded

from, the sun. —

The other we shot

at dusk from a hop-pole from

which he occasionally flew

performing evolutions in the air

in pursuit of insects & again

returning to the same perch

in the manner of the large goat sucker

of this country, and indeed its

wide gape and rather weak

[page break]

weak [sic] bill (at least weak in comparison
with, Strix). would incline
us to suppose that it subsists
in a great measure on Insect
food. —
[Grant clearly is cognisant of the relationship between structure
and function.|
The ears and disc around
the eyes being small may ac —
count for our finding it in
the day time as its organs
of hearing and sight are
not nearly so well adapted
for the dark as in Strix.
The specific description
of this bird by Messrs Vig & Hors.
[1827]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 36

is minutely correct

There is another species of Noctua

described by them the N. Boolbook [sic]
[probably a mainland subspecies of the Southern Boobook]

Strix Boolbook [sic] of Lath. the native

name is Buck’buck the note

said to resemble that of the

European Cuckoo which is
[Common Cuckoo Cuculus canorus|

certainly a remarkable cir-

cumstance considering the

discordant cries of its con-

geners. — the difference between

this and N. Maculata

consists in the more sparing

distribution of the spots which

are of a yellowish white

and the under parts being

white varied with rusty coloured

spots, whilst in N. Mac. the

[column break]

the abdomen is of a rusty
brown with large white spots
have you seen this species?
or one a half smaller with bare tarsi which we have
heard of from Mr. Thomson. —
Genus Strix Lin et. Aud.
Species Strix flammea
Strix flammea. Corpore luteo
[Although this name is that of a Barn Owl Tyto alba, Grant may
be incorrect in identifying his Tasmanian specimens as belonging
to this species. The Barn Owl is somewhat similar in appearence
to the closely related Masked Owl Tyto novaehollandiae castanops,
a Tasmanian endemic subspecies, but is only an occasional visitor
to Tasmania from the mainland and does not regularly breed in
Tasmania (Blakers et al. 1984, Green 1995, Thomas 1979). The

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CORRESPONDENCE

Masked Owl is the common Tasmanian species. |
punctis albis, subtus albido
punctiss nigricantibus Lin
the barn or White owl.
— this description cor
responds very well with the
specimens which I have.
it is more perfect in
its organs for night feeding
and from the Strength of
its bill & talons must
be a very formidable bird
& may possibly attack the
opossum?
Fam. Hirundinae
Genus. Hirundo
Species Hir. Pyrrhonota Lath Mss
[Tree Martin Petrochelidon nigricans]
This is the common swallow
bluish black above — tawny
below — with a reddish stripe
on the forehead and a tawny
rump. — no mention is
made by Mssrs. Vig. & Hors. of the
Cypselus, or Swift which
[Probably the Fork-tailed Swift Apus pacificus, once know as
Cypselus australis and C. vittatus|
I have seen hawking very high this summer but
have not been able to procure
do you possess a specimen?

[page break]

Fam. Caprimulgidae
We have seen and pre

served for Mr. Henty a
small bird of the family
not more than five inches

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 38

in length — as the specimen
[Australian Owlet-nightjar Aegotheles cristatus tasmanicus, an
endemic Tasmanian subspecies]

was perfectly fresh and had

not the appearance of a

cage death we are inclined

to suppose that it is a

native of this country — but

shall enquire

It differs from the true

Caprimulgi in the roundness

& shortness of the wing which

in those birds is long & powerful the

first quill being the longest

— the legs and

feet are also stronger

indicating an approach

to the Podargus or common

Mope-Hawk which again
[Tawny Frogmouth Podargus strigoides|

seems not much removed from

the owls. —

The disposition of the

bristles at the gape appears

to be much finer than in

the larger goat sucker, its

bill is also feeble, and there

seemed to be abundance of

the viscid saliva in its

[column break]

wide mouth; it is thus
between Caprimulgus
and Podargus. — and we
think is described as
Gen. Agotheles from AgeyoOnAne.
Caprimulgus of Aristotle. ???

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CORRESPONDENCE

We shall defer speaking of
the different species of Pod-
argus until we can procure
Specimens, because as

you truly observe the birds
of V.D Land may be found
on close examination to be
totally distinct from those
N.S. Wales. — as we

are particularly in

terested in this family any
communication on the subject
will be most acceptable -

Genus Rhipirdura
(Pizic. flabellum. ovpa. cauda

Species Rhip. flabellifera.
[Grey Fantail, same as Muscicapa flabellifera mentioned earlier
(p. 19)]

Muscicapa flabellifera Gmel.

fan-tailed fly catcher of Lath.

We were much pleased with

the inspection of this bird which

we had not before examined.

[page break]

On comparing it with Muscicapa

Erythrogastra — the greater
[Scarlet Robin]

width of gape and shortness

of bill, with the finer arrangements

of rictal bristles, the lengthened

and fan-shaped tail, rounded

wings & weaker legs,

at once explained their difference

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 40

of habits — and is a beautiful
[written in later: adaptation]
example of changes of form cor
responding with a change in the
mode of feeding in birds closely

allied —

[This is and interesting evolutionary statement, probably
Lamarckian in tone, but demonstrates that these men were well
aware of the connection between structure and function in birds.
It would be interesting to know if the word “allied” was meant to
mean “related.” If it meant related, it would imply an evolution-
ary relationship.|

The Fantail launches

out from his perch wheels &

turns in a remarkable manner

while capturing his prey — the

Mus. Erythro pecks it either from the
[Scarlet Robin]

trunks of trees or from the ground

& rarely catches it in the air

the latter has however a more

powerful wing but this may

be explained by his wider range

for food. —.

Fam. Pipridae
Genus Pardalotus Vieillot,

Species. Pard. punctatus

the diamond bird.
[A common name usually applied to the Spotted Pardalote

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CORRESPONDENCE 4]

Pardalotus punctatus because of the bright white spots on the head
and wings of the male.|

the specimen No 6 of which

Pard. Striatus

[column break]

Pard. Striatus
[Striated Pardalote]
Streaked Mannakin

“Grayish-brown above cream-

coloured below; top of the

head black with white

stripes; between the bill

and the eye a rich

yellow spot; secondaries

of the wings yellow at the

tips. four inches and a half

long inhabits V.D Land”

7 Brown Zool.
[Brown 1833, vol. 1, p. 190]

This description agrees very

well except that all the

wing feathers are tipped with

white — perhaps it may be

an error for the wing coverts

of the primaries which are tipped

with rich yellow Neither is any notice
[The yellow wing spot in the Tasmanian breeding subspecies is the
main plumage difference between it and the mainland-breeding
forms.|

taken of the beard of outer web of the

Secondaries and tertials being

of reddish yellow becoming

white in the two last. — we should

have thought that in specific

descriptions such marks would

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 42

42
not have been omitted.

*The description of Pard Striatus by
Vigors and Hors. seems to have been
taken from a N. Holl Specimen

& is a distinct species.

[The Striated Pardalote is polytypic with the southeastern main-
land subspecies being Pardalotus striatus ornatus. The Tasmanian
breeding subspecies is P. s. striatus. The subspecies are distinct
enough to excuse Grant’s considering them distinct species, and in
fact they were considered separate species at least into the middle

of the 20" century.|

Pard.
Pard. Striatus — dorso grisescenti-
brunneo uropygio fulvo; capite
alis caudaque nigris, illo
albo striato; striga superciliari
ad frontem flava proné alba,
Pteromatibus apici coccineis, Gula
flava, pectore abdominque albis, flavo parcé varie-
gatis.
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 237]

[page break]

“uropygio” is the rump and it

certainly is somewhat darker than

we would translate “‘fulvo”’

by “Pteromatibus” we understand the

wing feathers? and they are here

described as tipped with crimson
[One of the differences between P. s. ornatus and P. s. striatus is
that wing feathers tipped with red in ornatus are tipped with yel-
low in striatus. It is interesting that Grant attributes these
plumage color differences to climatic influences (see below).
Attributing color differences to climatic influences was to become

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 43

CORRESPONDENCE 43

a characteristic assumption of late nineteenth century neo-
Lamarckians.|
You will find that otherwise it is
minutely correct. — may not the
Superior warmth of the climate
account for the red markings?
Fam. Pipridae
Genus Pachycephalus - Swainson
Species Pach. olivacea
[Olive Whistler Pachycephala olivacea apatetes, is the endemic
Tasmanian subspecies. |

Pac.
Pachy. supra viridi - Olivacea,
Subtus fulvescens. Capite grises -
Cente, gutture albo notato. —
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 241]

We think both from the generic
and specific description that
this is your No. 9.
in Vieillots genus Thamnophilus?
When alive has it a puffed out
head as its name would imply?

Fam Meliphagidae

Genus. Meliphaga
Species. Mel. Tenuirostris

[Eastern Spinebill Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris dubius, an endem-
ic Tasmanian subspecies]

Certhia tenuirostris Lath. ind. orn.

Le Cap. Noir Vieill.

Slender billed Honey Eater Lath.

Species Mel. fulvifrons
[Crescent Honeyeater Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera|

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 44

This agrees with your No. 8. except —

ing the streak through the eyes ex

tending to the side of the breast & there

forming a ring, which is described

as as [sic] brown (“brunnean’’) — whereas in the
specimen it is black or at least

very dark brown — (“‘fusca’’) there is

[column break]

another thing the wing feathers
are said to be slightly margined
with white whereas it is here
yellow with a tinge of green. —
* is your bird a male?
We shall have some more obser
vations on this genus when
we can procure a few specimens
* a variety is mentioned. with a
white forehead but they do
not seem sure of it as it stands
Var.? “Incapite Canescente?”

blos savdeo [?]

Genus Anthochaera

Av80c Xaipo

Species Antho. Carunculata
[Red Wattlebird]
Merops Carunculatus Lath
Corvus paradoxus — Id [?] suppl.
[A. paradoxus is the Yellow Wattlebird]

Pie a pendeloque Daud.
Wattled bee eater Phill. bot. Bay.
Wattled honey Eater of Lath.

Merops is not a good name

as that belong to a totally

distinct family — the proper bee-eaters
[Meropidae]

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CORRESPONDENCE

birds of rapid flight which capture
quick flying insects as bees wasps
& hornets and are

therefore

as different from the present
group as could well be imagined
it is this confusion of names
which is so annoying — many

of them given by compilers who
looked at the bird as something
very pretty without knowing

any thing of its structure or

habits -

[Neither Gunn nor Grant suffered fools gladly. |
[page break]

Tribus Conirostres. Cuv.

Fam. Fringillidae
[Estrildidae]

Genus Fringilla

Species Fringilla bella
[Beautiful Firetail]

Loxia bella Latham

black lined grosbeak. Lath

Fringilla is a much better
name than Loxia — as it
is thus placed with the
Finches — Loxia being now
the generic name of the
crossbills —
[Loxia remains the generic name for the crossbills.]

Fam Psittacidae Leach
Genus Platycerus.
TlAatuc yEepKoc

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 46

broad-tail
Species Plat. Eximius
[Eastern Rosella]
Psittacus eximius. Shaw.
Perruche omnicolore Le Vail
Non pariel parrot Lath
Rosella or Rosehill parrot

“Plat. flaviventrus”
“Psittacus flaviventrus Tem.”
“Psittacus Brownii Kuhl Nov. Act”
“Perruche a large queue Le Vail.”
“Van Diemans Parrot? Lath.”
“Sulphur-headed parrot” is
the yellow bellied parrot
with the crimson front
and sulphur coloured occiput
common enough here —

[Eastern Rosella]

[column break]

Genus Pezoporus Illig [?]

Species Pez. Formosus

Psittacus formosus — Lath
[Ground Parrot]

Psittacus terrestis Shaw.

Perruche ingambe Le Vail

Ground Parrot — Lath.

The description is minutely correct &

was taken from a specimen

obtained at Port Philip in
[now Melbourne]

1804!! if they described the birds

how did they not describe the

land?!!

[This comment suggests that Grant was aware of the importance
of habitat in the natural history and distribution of bird species.|

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 47

CORRESPONDENCE 47

Genus Trichoglossus
Op1é Seta yAwoou Angua [?]
Species Tricho- concinnus

[Musk Lorikeet Glossopsitta concinna|
Psittacus concinnus Shaw
Perruche a bandeu rouge Le Vail
Crimson fronted parakeet Lath.
the specific description in
Vigors & Horsfield is minutely
correct and the generic also
except in one very important
point viz the tongue which is
not subdivided into suckers
but is entire & blunt at
tip but certainly capable of being converted
into a tube by rounding up the
Edges. —

[In the final draft of this letter Grant added: it is
the small bluish green parrot with
Crimson front ant. [?] stripe
down from the ears. bluish
head. olive between the
Shoulders and yellow under
Each joint of wing —.]

Tricho. pusillus

Psittacus pusillus Lath

Perruche a face rouge
[both Perruche a face rouge and Small parakeet below refer to the
Little Lorikeet Glossopsitta pusilla, which does not occur in
Tasmania. Both the Musk and Little Lorikeets have green with
red faces, hence the confusion.|

Small parakeet White’s Journal [?]

this is I think your Psitt. sanguinolentus
[Swift Parrot]
[end of letter]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 48

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 49

[letter from James Grant to Ronald C. Gunn]

Recd 10 July [in Gunn’s hand]
Col. Hospital 6 July 36

My Dear Sir

I send by Mr Smith, a package
Containing the bird Skins which you had
marked to be returned Viz. No. 4, 6, & 7
& beg to return thanks for the rest which you
have kindly allowed me to keep —

I hope you will continue your journal
regularly, and I will Endeavour to send
my Contribution as regularly.— and now that
our correspondence is fairly agoing I
anticipate with you much pleasure from
it—and I do not think that we shall
run out of Matter very soon.— My Contribution
might have been somewhat larger, and in future
I hope to extend it at least to another Sheet
but I have had such short notice this time

I shall write down all I can collect and

[page break]

any idea that may Strike me, and if
it turns out that I am only describing
what all the world knows before me
what matter—perhaps among the heap
of lumber there may be found Something
original —
I look forward to the next
arrival of the Edward for a Similar
paper, and hope you will not disappoint
me.—..
believe me
Yours Most Truly

JGrant
R C Gunn Esgr
[end of letter]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 50

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y) | . oe.

Figure 8. Circular Head Scientific Journal, 29 July 1836.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 5:1.

[The following issue of the “Journal” is bound together with cloth,
shoelace-like material.|

The
Circular-Head Scientific Journal
Edited by Ronald C. Gunn [Figure 8]

Vol. I. No. 2 29 July 1836 Gratis to
Correspondents

[Gunn was frustrated by Europeans who named new species with-
out surveying the literature and thus created a confusing situation
where many names were applied to the same species. He reacts
strongly to this situation in the following paragraph, and his
“Kuro-bashing” is a recurring theme in his writings.]|

Much as the Nomenclature of Botany
has changed within the last few

years — I find that Zoology in

all its Departments has undergone

A [?] still more decided alteration, &
that older books [?] — say 20 to

30 years ago — really do almost as
much harm as good, and that by

the time you have acquired the name
of an animal or Bird from one

author, you find in the next that it

is changed, and so on until really

the synonyms amount to an almost
incredible number — and even at

the present time matters appear far
from settled as the Continental and
British Naturalists each name the
respective animals without reference
to each other or preceding writers — New

[column break]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 52

names are adopted where really no
valid objections can exist to the old,
and altogether there appears to be

a conglomeration which I expect
will take some time for us to clear
up. — My remarks on this subject
have been induced by the recent
perusal of a short article on the
Zoology of New Holland [Shaw 1794] - & a
Catalogue of 1829 of the Museum of
the Zoological Society — I need
hardly say that, no synonyms

being given to either, such names

as I have ferreted out are a good

deal at guess — but they may

draw your attention to the particular
species in any books [?] you may
happen to fall in with. — I shall

now add the result of my researches.

[page break]
Aves.

Astur Novae Hollandiae — appears to be
[Grey Goshawk]
the White Hawk — of which I believe
only one species exists in Australia —
See Lin. Trans. Vol. 15. — This is the
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827 is in volume 15.|
Falco Albus of Shaws Zoology.
[Shaw 1800-1826, Vol. 7 (1809), pt. 1, pp. 92-93]
Podargus Is the Generic name for
[frogmouths|
the New Holl. Goatsuckers; — there is
a species P. Cuvierii — but no des-
cription is given.
[Vigors and Horsfield (1827, pp. 200-201) named P. cuvieri (single

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 53

CORRESPONDENCE 53

i) for the Tasmanian bird. The name has since been synonymised
with the nominate race P. strigoides strigoides.|

Dacelo — appears to be new Generic

name for our “Laughing Jackass” —
[There is a confusion of birds and names because the name
“laughing jackass” was applied in Tasmania to the Grey
Butcherbird Cracticus torquatus cinereus and in New South Wales
to the Laughing Kookaburra Dacelo novaeguineae. The Laughing
Kookaburra occurs in Tasmania but is not native; it was intro-
duced to Tasmania about 1906 (Green 1995).|

I have obtained one specimen of a

beautiful true Kingfisher here & hope

to obtain more. —

Malurus Superbus Vieill. The Superb
[Superb Fairy-wren]

Warbler of New Holl. — Is this the “Sylvia

cyanea” of Shaw’s Zoology? & Latham.

Cinclosoma punctatum. The Spotted Thrush
[Spotted Quail-thrush]

This is Shaws “Turdus punctatus” — I

presume — as it alludes to its being

of a peculiar Habit in the Catalogue

Pardalotus punctatus. Vieill. The

[column break]

Spotted manakin. Is this our Diamond
Bird having Spots on Wings and tail?

[Both the Spotted and endemic Forty-spotted P quadragintus
Pardalotes have spots on their wings and tails, although the tail of
Forty-spotted Pardalote usually has only white tips to the tail
feathers. Hence this was probably the more common Spotted
Pardalote.]

Rhipidura flabellifera. The Fantailed
[Grey Fantail|
Flycatcher — is probably Latham’s

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 54

Mus. Flabellifera. —

Seisura volitans. The volatile fly-

catcher is another New Holl. Species, but
[Restless Flycatcher Myiagra inquieta, which does not occur in
Tasmania. Gunn, relying on books that were available to him,
would not have known this.|

I know not which. —

Glaucopis cinerea Forst. The Cinereous

Wattle-bird — Is it ours? — I am not
[Gunn and Grant relied on bird descriptions from the books that
they possessed and frequently attempted to find a described bird
that matched their Tasmanian specimens. This led to their
attempting to merge Tasmanian species with those described from
elsewhere, sometimes leading to incorrect identifications. In this
case, Gunn is apparently comparing the description of the Kokako
Callaeas cinerea, a New Zealand species, with the Tasmanian
endemic Yellow Wattlebird, but below concludes correctly that
they are not the same species.|

certain that it is a New Holl. Sp. but the

name struck me. — I think it is not —

See below*

Pezoporus formosus. Ill. Is this the
[Ground Parrot]

Psitt. terrestris?

The Honey-Eaters of New Holl. appear

to be divided into 6 to 12 Genera — the

family being called Meliphagidae.
[This is still the family name for the honeyeaters and chats.|

— One

of the genera is also named Meliphaga.
[Five species of Australian honeyeaters are still recognized in the
genus Meliphaga.|

* Anthochaera carunculata. The Wattled

Honey eater — will I think prove to be our

Wattle Bird — It belongs to the Meliphagidae
[This is the Red Wattlebird of the mainland. The closely related
Tasmanian endemic species is the Yellow Wattlebird.|

B.S.

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CORRESPONDENCE

A number of the above are superceded
by your communication — since read.

[page break]

Since writing the preceding portion
of our Journal, a reply has been
received to our No. I. dated 5
July — and we proceed to make
a few remarks on the contents. —
Of the family “Strigidae” I
unfortunately possess no specimens
having sent all I had Home —
therefore cannot say much — I
have not seen any owl smaller
than N. maculata. —
Hirundines. I have seen one very
fine specimen of the Swift shot
last season by Mr. Hobbler — It is
a very large Bird — from recollection
I think 15 to 18 inches from tip to
tip of the Wings. — I do not possess
a specimen.

[White-throated Needletail Hirundapus caudactus, Australia’s

largest swift]
Pardalotus striatus — of Brown’s Zool.

[Striated Pardalote] [Brown 1833, vol. 1, p. 190]
TextB. Is evidently the V.D.L. species —
but I send you a specimen to
look at of a New Holl. Species which
I think will probably will be found

[column break]

to be the P. striatus of Vigors &

Horsfield. — Indeed the two birds
[1827]

are most astonishingly similar

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 56

in their general markings and

more particularly about the Head —

the New Holl. Species however has

a red spot on the Wing where the

V.D.L. species has a yellow one —

They are however evidently distinct

species. — Have you remarked that
[As previously mentioned, the Tasmanian subspecies P. s. striatus
has a yellow spot on its wings while the eastern Victorian sub-
species P. s. ornatus has a red spot. It appears that Gunn thought
that difference sufficient to claim them as separate species (see
previous comments on pp. 41-42).|

the young Birds of the V.D.L. species

are not striped on the Head the

first season — I send you a

specimen to look at. —

I should like to see a specimen of

Meliphaga tenuirostris — that Genus
[Eastern Spinebill]

is so [?] numerous — do you mean

the one like a Humming Bird —

with Cinnamon Col’d abdomen. —

No other portions of your Journal

call for any particular Comments

It is however all I could desire

and will assist me much —

[Not presented here is a section on Australian mammals.|

[end of letter]

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CORRESPONDENCE

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM -®age 58

Figure 9. To the Editor, Circular Head Scientific Journal, 23 October 1836.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 59

[The following is a letter from James Grant to R. C. Gunn.|

Rec. ? 23/10/36 [In Gunn’s hand]
To the Editor of the
Circular Head Scientific
Journal [Figure 9]

Communication 2nd

To our Editor. —

Aquila fucosa. — this, as
[Wedge-tailed Eagle]
you well remark, would
have been much better
Named fuscosa. Why
[dark or black]
they have applied the term
fucosa to it we cannot 1m-
[painted or colored]
magine. —
We lately shot a
Very fine Specimen in the
neighbourhood of Mount Direction
We had been Kangaroo
hunting and having hung up a
Kangaroo — at the edge of sm
scrub. in a deep valley—on
returning about an hour after
wards an Eagle flew up from
the carcass and Settled on
a tree at some distance
We immediately brought
our rifle to bear and to

[column break]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 60

our great and manifold
Satisfaction the ball
somehow Entered the breast
and came out at the
opposite flank, overturning
the old gentleman.

We found him to be
of a dusky brown. almost
black. and I am not sure
whether he be not a new
variety of the common.
he is nearly black except
the middle wing coverts
which are a greyish brown
Edged with white, the
Erectile feathers on the
back of the neck are also
of a reddish brown tipped
with black. The irides are
of a golden hue with a
darkish tinge. Sealing wax
made with gold leafmokes [?]
a good imitation

[page break]

he measured 6 feet 8 inches
between tip and tip of the
wings and weighed above 6 pounds
the ball having destroyed the
organs of generation we
were unable to determine
whether it was a male or
female —
It is surely a remarkable circum
stance this, of the Eagle feeding
on a dead carcass, and

[see Gunn’s comments on this, pp. 75-76.|

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CORRESPONDENCE

I am not aware whether the
European birds of this family
have such a habit — I think
not. They are always described
as hunting for their prey. —
Their keeness of sight is
Very fine and I have no doubt
that he saw this Kangaroo from
a great height in the air
When making a circuit as their
habit is. — I believe that it is
rather owing to this sense, also that
Vultures so soon make their ap-
rearence when carrion is in

[column break]

the way, than to the
sense of smell. When
we think of the immense
Space through which the
odoriferous! particles have
to traverse it 1s evident
that they could not be
diffused so widely nor
in such a small space

of time as sometimes Elap
ses between the death of
an animal and

the appearance of these
birds — they must in

all probability descend
from the higher regions
of the atmosphere.

and thus appear as

if coming from a great
distance (guided by the
Sense of smell — ac

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 62

62
cording to common opinion)
[page break]

Fam Laniadae

Subfam Thamnophilina

Genus. Vanga

Species Vanga destructor.

This is Our laughing Jack Ass
[Grey Butcherbird]

Very different from the bird

which the settlers in Sydney

call by the Same name —

Viz. the gigantic King fisher

Dacelo gigantea —
[Laughing Kookaburra]

You say that

you have lately procured

a true King fisher. Now com-

pare it with No 1. This Specimen

sent and you will see that

the latter has not the most

remote resemblance to a

King fisher — but is a true

Shrike. and is very well

Named and characterized

Strange how the same name

and that a very peculiar

one should be applied to

birds so dissimilar —

does the gigantic King-

fisher occur in this colony?

[column break]
Fam. Laniadae

[Gunn wrote vertically in red ink: My Brown thrush]
Genus. Colluricincla

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CORRESPONDENCE 63

Species Coli. cinerea

[Grey Shrike-thrush Colluricincla harmonica strigata, an endemic

Tasmanian subspecies]
Specimen No 2. this
belongs to the Fam-Sub.
family as the one above
and connects the shrikes
and Thrushes, and indeed
the name from KoAAvpiowv
lanius. and X1yyAoc turdus
Seems to have been given
to indicate this — Compare
it with the following.

Fam. Merulidae
[Gunn wrote: Brown ground thrush of my collection]

Sub fam. Merulina

Genus. Turdus

Species Turdus Varius—
[Bassian Thrush Zoothera lunulata. Turdus varius is an old name
for Z. dauma, which at that time also included the Australian birds
now separated as Bassian and Russet-tailed Z. heinei Thrushes.
Turdus varius was proposed by Vieillot for the Noisy Miner.
However, the bird described here by Grant appears to be the
Bassian Thrush. This is, perhaps, another case of misapplication
of a name from a book, although the Noisy Miner does occur in
Tasmania.]|

No. 3. You will find that

bill is somewhat similar

in both. More Especially

the upper Mandibula and

nostrils — This is a very

rare bird. and the only

Specimen in the Linnean

Society Collection was like

mine & [?] much injured by

shot — we procured

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 64

[page break]

we procured it ina

very deep creek where
the decayed timber and
the rocks were covered
with a damp moss and
where no other vegetable
grew. —

[The above habitat description suggests that the bird was the
Bassian Thrush; this is also suggested by Gunn’s name, Brown

ground thrush.|

Fam. Muscicapidae
Genus. Monarcha.

Species —? No4seems
to belong to this genus

I cannot find the species
but as this is a female it

[Gunn wrote: my common sparrow]

May probably belong to Mon.
Carinata — Muscicpeta Carinata

[In Swainson (1822-1823), this name belongs to the Black-faced
Monarch Monarcha melanopsis, which does not occur in

Tasmania.]

[Scarlet Robin]

of Swainson — it flies with great
Smoothness occasionally
alighting on the ground to pick
up its food and resting on

posts. dead stumps or trees

the bill is like that of

Mus. Erythrogastra. but

is much stronger and with
cutting edges, it is also more
arched at the tip and

has a ridge to Strengthen it

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 65

CORRESPONDENCE 65

along the culmen. There
is the same arrangement

[column break]

of strong rictal bristles as

in Mus. Erythra. and the

head is Very large in

order to afford better scope [?]

for the Cay [?] muscles des-

tined [?] to move the powerful

jaws —
[The above description suggests that the bird was a Dusky Robin
Melanodryas vittata, an endemic Tasmanian species. |

On examining the con-

tents of its rather muscular

Stomach we have found them [to]

consist of very hard small

black beetles — thus account

ing with the firm Structure

of its organ of feeding.

Specimen No 5 is closely
[This is, perhaps, a female or young male Golden Whistler
Pachycephala pectoralis glaucura, a Tasmanian endemic sub-
species. |

allied to the preceding

but is a distinct species
[Gunn wrote: like my common sparrow but larger and not so thick]

as 1s evident from the

Shorter and more arched

bill, and lengthened tail

in fact it is not Easy to de-

termine whether this bird belongs

to the pipridae as the bill

resembles that of Pachycephalus

olivacea a specimen of
[Olive Whistler]

which has been sent us from

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 66

[page break]

from Circular Head and
we lately procured a
specimen exactly similar
from Mount Direction — a
Notice of this bird will be
found in our latest com-
munication
Fam. Sylviadae
[Gunn wrote: my smallish warbler — black band on tail called New
Zeal titmouse by me |
Genus. Acanthiza
Species Acanthiza pusilla
This is evidently Specimen
No 6 now sent. One of the
dwarf warblers it frequents
trees —

[The above species is either the Brown Thornbill Acanthiza pusilla
diemenensis, an endemic Tasmanian subspecies, or a Tasmanian
Thornbill Acanthiza ewingii, a closely related Tasmanian endemic
species that was not described until 1844 by Gould.|

Acanthiza Reguloides I
[Yellow-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza chrysorrhoa leachi, an

endemic Tasmanian subspecies. This is probably another misiden-
tification by Grant. The Buff-rumped Thornbill Acanthiza regu-
loides does not occur in Tasmania.]|

think my No 7 is perhaps

the female of this species as

the only difference is in the
[Gunn wrote: my yellow rump]

Spots on the forehead which

in Vigors & Horsfield are des
[1827]

cribed as being of a rusty colour

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 67

[column break]

[related to?]

CORRESPONDENCE

whereas they are here white —
— perhaps a new species?
Can you throw any light on
this?

Specimen No 8 I cannot
Make out. it is closely allied

to Acanthiza and perhaps

more to the Muscicapa

do you know anything of
it. ?—

Pardalotus. punctatus. — is

[Spotted Pardalote]

[1827]

No 9 the female of the
Diamond bird? I have

some doubts about it as

the only difference pointed out
by Vigors and Horsfield is in

the spots on the head being

of a tawny yellow.

“Fam. “Capitis punctis fulvis.”
Now. this bird has no spots on
the head at all and its general

Markings seem to belong to a male

bird. When I shot it, not

doubting but that it was a female

Diamon bird I neglected to
examine .— .—

[The lack of spots on the head and the color suggests that this bird
was a Forty-spotted Pardalote, an endangered Tasmanian endemic

species that was not described as a new species until 1838 by
Gould, although it could be the similarly plumaged juvenile

Spotted Pardalote.]|

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 68

— Malurus Superbus. is the same
[Superb Fairy-wren]

as Sylvia Cyanea of Shaw.

there are several species but

I have not been able to procure

any but the common. — there is

a nest at your allotment in

a furze bush —and there is
[furze is another name for gorse Ulex sp.|

[page break]

Only one female. though

in the Summer we see only
One male to several females
but these must be young
birds not having yet assumed
the male plumage-

[Grant was apparently aware that immature male birds often
have “female” plumage.]|

Fam. Meliphagidae
Genus. Meliphaga
Sp. Mel. Novae Hollandiae
[New Holland Honeyeater]
is evidently No 10 and
is minutely described
it seems to be the type
of the genus. —
[Gunn wrote: Common Honeysuckle]
Your observations on
the Mamalia, [sic] we esteem
Very much. as we were
in ignorance as to the names
of many. and we believe
that several are yet undes
cribed — if you could send

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 69

CORRESPONDENCE

us the carcarsi of some of these
Smaller animals which

occur about Circular Head

we should feel grateful.

[column break]
The Specimens were

No 1. Laughing Jackass. blk varts
[abbreviation of varieties] [Grey Butcherbird]
“2. Common Thrush”
[Grey Shrike-thrush]
“3. Brown do.
[““do” is ditto; hence “Thrush” |
called Native Pheasant
[Native Pheasant is an old name for several species that do not
occur in Tasmania.
“4. Common Sparrow usually
with yellow rump
[Gunn called the Dusky Robin “Common Sparrow,” but it does
not have a yellow rump.|
“5. Very like above, only longer
tail, & no white on wing —
[The description could refer to the Jacky Winter Microeca fasci-
nans but it does not occur in Tasmania. |
“ 6. N.Z. Titmouse dark band

[Brown Thornbill]
on tail
“7 Yellow Rump.
[Yellow-rumped Thornbill]
“ 8

“9 Spotted Winged Pardalotus
[Forty-spotted Pardalote? More likely Spotted Pardalote]
“10. Common Honeysuckle —
[New Holland Honeyeater]|

[end of letter]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM S* 70

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—P—

Figure 10. Circular-Head Scientific Journal, 29 November 1836.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 71

The
Circular-Head Scientific Journal
Edited by Ronald C. Gunn [Figure 10]

Vol. I. No.3. — Circular Head 29** November 1836 Gratis

To our much esteemed

Correspondent — J. Grant. —

I really feel no small pleasure
in being able to commence another
number of my Journal, and
the extreme anxiety I felt to
get off my Plants can alone

[to W. J. Hooker]
be sufficient excuse for my
allowing matters to accumu-
late on my hands, or for
my having so long neglected to
reply to your much valued
Communication of October last —
I however now hope to have
more time as I have got my
box packed and will I hope
have the lid screwed down in
the course of a day or two. —
Now in reply to yours. —

[column break]

Aquila fuscosa. Cuv.
[Wedge-tailed Eagle]
Aquila fucosa. Temminck
I have remarked that there is a
great difference of colour in the
specimens of this Eagle procured by

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 72

me — that the males were usually

black — and the females — brown —

indeed I have remarked it in the

birds when flying — as I have both

at Circular Head and Western Port

had an opportunity of seeing

them very near. — Age also affects

the plumage of Eagles much —

five years being considered the time

taken to assume the full & final

colours — from this has arisen the
[Wedge-tailed Eagles become progressively blacker for at least
their first 10 years. Most birds become mostly black (the adult
plumage) by 6-7 years of age with one instance of a mostly black
bird by age 5 (Marchant and Higgins 1993).|

number of synonyms to most

species — few going under less

than two or three names — the errors

[page break]

having arisen from the different ages

of the specimens obtained — The

establishment however of Zoological

Gardens has now enabled them to

watch the gradual change from

year to year — and to reconcile the

apparent clashing of Naturalists

and describers. — You say the irides
[In North America, Alexander Wilson had been raising birds in
captivity in order to make similar determination several decades
earlier (Wilson 1808-1814), and Gunn, who had a copy of Wilson’s
American Ornithology (probably the 1828 edition), was thus aware
of this procedure.|

are of a golden hue, being a little diff’t

to mine which I have noted as

light brown, the same as described

in the living specimen in the

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CORRESPONDENCE 73

Zoological Garden, London — however
the iris also changes with age as
I see the American White-Headed
Sea Eagle has the eye at first

[Bald Eagle Haliaeetus leucocephalus|
hazel, but gradually brightens
into a brilliant straw-colour —
why may not therefore the A. fuscosa
alter in the same manner? — the
size of yours 1s not great — 7 to
10 & 12 feet have been known &
measured from tip to tip. — One

[column break]

of my specimens measured 7 ft
4 in as measured by Mr. F. James.
Mr. Jones (Prisoners Barracks)
measured a specimen from 10 to
11 ft — and young Mr. Talbot (of
the Break o’day) informed Mr. J.
Backhouse & myself on 6" Jan’y

1836, in my room, that he has

measured one 12 ft from tip to tip.

If we bear in mind the immense

age to which Eagles attain — and

the few casualties to which they

must be subject from their being

the sovereigns of the air, we

need not wonder at the diversity

in their colour & markings — and

ought to be slow in attempting

to form a new species unless

the general shape and more

permanent characters were

widely diff’t — What benefit
[This statement indicates Gunn’s conservatism in taxonomy, a
sharp contrast to many taxonomists who search for minor differ-

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 74

ences in order to create new taxa.]|
would we not have derived long
ere this had the Gov’t established

[page break]

a small Botanical and Zoological

Garden, even if confined to the

productions of the Colony? — as it is —

less is know by the inhabitants

of V.D.L. of its Natural History

than by the people of England —

I can only hope times will change.
[Lieutenant-Governor Arthur was not interested in promoting nat-
ural history, but when Sir John Franklin replaced him, things
changed (see pp. 3, 10-11)]

The specimen of the Aquila

fuscosa now living in the Zoological

Gardens, London, is thus described —

“The general colour is a deep

dusky brown or dull black, with

a rufous tinge on the head and

back of the neck, which is also

present, but in a less degree, on

the breast. The wing-coverts are

partially margined with white,

but the anterior ones are bordered

with light brown. The beak is

black at the tip and horn-co-

loured at the base, the latter hue

extending over the cere to the

naked part of the face, which

[column break]
passes as far backwards as the eyes,

and has a very slight tinge of red.
The iris is light brown; &c &c” —

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CORRESPONDENCE 75

[Bennett 1831, p. 294]

The Netherlands specimen described

by M Temminck is “of a blackish

soot-colour, with the back of the

head and greater part of the

neck isabella yellow spotted with

brown, and dark brown edges to the

wing-coverts.” The colour of the
[Temminck and de Chartrouse 1838, unpaginated, the quote is
from the description of plate 32.]

Netherlands specimen at once

accounts for M. Temminck’s altering

the name from fuscosa to fucosa.

The feeding of our V.D.L. Eagle

on dead carcases may partly arise

from the greater scarcity of food

as compared to former times —

Civilization has driven the Kangaroos

to the scrubs — and reduced their

number much — but I think
[The preceding suggests that Gunn was well aware of the effects of
habitat alteration, including the altering of animal behavior. This
is a harbinger of modern thinking. |

our Eagle is naturally fond of

Carrion. — At Western Port, where

necessity I should suppose could not have arisen

[page break]

I saw them abundant, evidently
attracted by Capt’n Swanston’s dead
sheep. — At Mr. Beckfords they also
daily visited a dead bullock in

twos & threes, and one was shot —
They however also attack living
animals — lambs & Kangaroos. — Mr.
Backhouse & Mr. Adam Thompson
knew them to attempt snatching

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 76

up dogs. — One at New Norfolk carried
away a live pig and dropped it

some miles off — A Horse in a

paddock at Mr. Barker’s, Macquarie
Plains, was chased & attacked by two —
and the late Mrs. Burns of the

Clyde, a lady of veracity, informed

Mr. Backhouse that she was chased

by one or two; (I forget which) &
Backhouse’s friend George Walker
was nearly pounced on by one

(at Circular Head I believe) whilst
stooping for shells — and would

most likely have got a dab

[column break]

had not Backhouse, who was
some way off, & observed it, called
to him. — The Sea Eagles of
America

[Bald Eagles]
very generally feed on
carrion and putrid carcasses — The
Golden Eagle

[Aquila chrysaetos|
I believe usually
hunts for its game. — Our having
no species of vulture in Australia
may probably have led to the
Combining both characters in
one bird. — It struck me at
first certainly as being new —

[This hypothesis of the eagles taking over the role of the missing
vulture in Australia has a modern ring to it—it is similar to the
niche shift and niche expansion explanations for, for example, the
shift of several Tasmanian bird species, such as the Brown

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CORRESPONDENCE hed.

Thornbill or Grey Shrike-thrush, to more pronounced bark-forag-
ing behavior in the absence of treecreepers and sittellas, the tradi-
tional bark-foraging guild of mainland Australia. Another exam-
ple is the morphological and behavioral evolution to a bark-forag-
ing niche by Strong-billed Melithreptus validirostris and Yellow-
throated Lichenostomus flavicollis Honeyeaters, both Tasmanian
endemic species.|

You are correct in sup-
posing that sight alone can
guide Eagles and Vultures to
their prey — upon this point there
can be no doubt. — The great
Buffon remarks “A Hawk sees
from on high a lark upon a
clod of earth at twenty times
the distance at which a man or
a dog can perceive it — A kite
having soared to an elevation

[page break]

beyond our ken, can see the small
lizards, field mice & birds, & select
those upon which he chooses to
pounce. This great extent of the
visual power is accompanied with
a precision equally great, for the
organ being at once both extremely
supple & extremely sensible, the
eye grows round or flat, is covered
or uncovered, contracts or dilates,
& speedily & alternately assumes
all the forms necessary to adapt
itself to every degree of light or distance.
Moreover, the sense of sight
being the only one which produces
the idea of motion, the only one

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by which the degrees of space
which are traversed can be
compared, & the birds being of all
animals the best adapted for
Motion, it is not surprising that
they possess, in the highest degree
of certainty & perfection that sense

[column break]

which should be their principal guide.
They are able to traverse a great space
in a very little time: they, therefore,
must be enabled to discern its extent
& limits. Had nature, in bestowing

on them such rapidy of flight,
rendered them at the same time short-
sighted, these two qualities would
have been contrary, and the bird would
not have dared to make use of his
lightness, nor attempted a rapid flight;
he would only have hovered slowly
along under the dread of unforeseen
shocks & resistances. The swiftness
with which a bird can fly may
indicate the extent of his reach of
vision; not, however, absolutely, but
relatively. A bird whose flight is
quick, direct & sustained, certainly
sees farther than another of the same
form, which moves more slowly &
obliquely; and, had nature ever
produced birds with short sight &

[page break]

rapid wing, such species must
have speedily perished from this con-

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CORRESPONDENCE 79

trariety of qualities, one of which not
only hinders the exercise of the other,
but exposes the individual to an infinite
number of risks. From all this we
may presume that the birds whose
flight is shortest & slowest are also
those whose power of vision is the
least extended.”

[Buffon 1799-1808, Vol. 37 (1801), pp. 50-52]

The power, which however it may
be explained, birds certainly possess
of altering the convexity of the eye, of
rendering the sight more or less distant,
according to the wants of the animal,
by correcting the divergence of the
visual rays, is the reason why many
birds, as well as the owl family, are
nocturnal. —

The preceding extracts on the sight
of birds, although long, are so very
interesting, and meet my views
so correctly that I could not

[column break]

resist giving them to you — and
but for the length to which it
would carry this paper I

would have continued my extracts
a little further. —

[These extensive extracts emphasize how important Gunn’s acqui-
sition of European ornithological treatises was to his own studies
and those of his colleagues. There simply were no libraries in
Tasmania that provided adequate ornithological references.]|

On the sense of smelling in
Birds, more particularly with

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reference to Vultures, much may
be said — and that common

error that they are led my [sic by?] that sense
to their prey is ably refuted by
that celebrated Naturalist
Audubon — It would occupy

too much space to detail the
various experiments tried by
Audubon to prove that the sense
of smelling is not acute in the
vultures & that by sight alone
they are guided to their prey, &
which are published in the
Philosophical Journal — but

I shall concisely as

possible detail the results —

[page break]

Audubon stuffed a deerskin with

hay, and kept it until very dry —

put it into the centre of an open field

& laid it on its back as if dead — in

a few minutes a vulture came down

to it — voided itself freely, (as all birds

of Prey in a wild state generally do
before feeding) and attacked the eyes
which were of dried painted clay — then
went to the other end & pulled away until
the stitches gave way & and plenty of hay
came out — at last he took flight,

coursed about the field, when suddenly
rounding & falling, he saw him kill a
small garter snake & swallow it in an
instant — He here remarks “Judge

of my feelings when I plainly saw

that the Vulture, which could not
discover, through its extraordinary

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CORRESPONDENCE 81

sense of smell, that no flesh either
fresh or putrid, existed about that

skin, could at a glance see a snake,
scarcely as large as a man’s finger,

[column break]

alive and destitute of odour, hundreds

of yards distant. I concluded that at

all events his ocular powers were much

better than his sense of smell” —
[Audubon 1826-1827, p. 174]

Another experiment was to put a very

putrid hog in July in a situation where the

odour could be exhaled but the carcase

covered by brushwood to be unseen —

Vultures passed continually over it

in search of food, but none discovered

the carcass although the smell was so

offensive that Audubon could not approach

it within 30 yards. - Many dogs however

at an early period found it out & fed

upon it. —

[Turkey Vultures Cathartes aura, the subject of Audubon’s study,
find carrion both by sight and smell. They have an excellent sence
of smell with very well developed olfactory organs. Recent studies
have demonstrated that Turkey Vultures can locate food by smell
(see Kirk and Mossman 1998 and references therein).]

He related many others but I

have really made this paper so long
that I dare not quote them, being
already afraid your patience will

be almost exhausted. — To search into
these matters is at all times to me a
most delightful study —

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 82

[page break]

Vanga destructor. Laughing
[Grey Butcherbird]

Jack-ass of V.D.L. colonists. —

I have never seen the Sydney Bird
[probably Laughing Kookaburra]

in V.D.L. and do not think it exists

here — it is much larger, and from

recollection I think much similar

in general colour & shape. — Are

there two species in V.D.L.? One appears

much darker coloured although very

similar in other points. — I send
[Gunn probably refers to the immature Grey Butcherbird, which
is much browner, and the adult bird, which is bold black, grey,
and white.]

you a specimen No. | to look at — a female

but the male is similar. —- Age may

cause the diff’ce — but in sending them

Home I find I gave them separate

numbers. — I also send you [a]

specimen of the true kingfisher No. 2
[Azure Kingfisher Alcedo azurea diemenensis, an endemic
Tasmanian subspecies]

to examine and report upon. —

Turdus varius. I shot two ina
[Bassian Thrush]
scrubby ravine between the Sand Hill [?] &
the North Esk — It also exists here,
I believe, but I have not seen it —
Its flight is very short resembling

[column break]

somewhat Cinclosoma punctatum —

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CORRESPONDENCE 83

[Spotted Quail-thrush]
the spotted-shouldered thrush — but
I had no opportunity of observing
it more closely since — I have seen
plenty specimens — say 6 or 8 — in the
Colony in the possession of different
persons —

Pardalotus punctatus. —
[Spotted Pardalote]

Your No. 9 is not the female of
the Diamond Bird — but I now
send you a female, No. 3 which
you will find agrees precisely
with the description of Vigors

& Horsefield — Yours (No. 9) must
be a very different species as

the markings vary much from

P. Punctatus. — The male & female
of your No. 9 are alike, having
shot them at C. H’d.

[This may be the Forty-spotted Pardalote, a Tasmanian endemic
species or juvenile Spotted Pardalote. Gunn had previously men-
tioned the Striated Pardalote, and thus was familiar with that
species. The Forty-spotted Pardalote had not been recognized as a
separate species at the time of this letter; it was described by
Gould in 1838. If this is indeed the Forty-spotted Pardalote, now
an Endangered species found predominately in southeastern
Tasmania, it suggests that the species was considerably more wide-
ly distributed in Gunn’s time. Circular Head is in the
Northwestern corner of Tasmania.|

Your specimens Nos. 7 & 8 I have
retained until next trip. —

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 84

Please return all mine.
To be continued.

[end of letter]

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CORRESPONDENCE

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 86

(no date).

Head Scientific Journal,

Circular-

Figure 11. To the Editor,

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 87

[The first four pages of the following letter are in a much clearer
handwriting than the last four, suggesting that Grant made a sec-
ond draft of the first four pages.]|

To the Editor of
Circular-Head Scientific Journal
Communication 3d [Figure 11]

We have just received the box
with the third No. of the Scientific
Journal for which we have

long and anxiously looked

and we hope that our learned
Editor will continue to send us

a copy regularly as it is

a great dis appointment when

the Schooner arrives without

a copy for Tartar Emetic.

The Article on the Aquila

fuscosa, we have perused with
[Wedge-tailed Eagle]

much interest, and the Extracts
from Audubon and Buffon
were so good that if we may
presume so far as to interfere
in the publication we would
like to see occasionally a

[column break]

few Extracts of the same Nature
— that is — if our Worthy Editor
can find time & room for the
purpose. —

As to the circumstance of

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the Eagle feeding on Carrion,

I find that there is an Oriental

species the “Gypaétus barbatus” —
[Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus|

which has the form of an Eagle

but the habits of a Vulture’ Now
[The quote apparently ends with Vulture.|

this Coincides well with your

remark that the want of Vultures

in this Colony may lead to a

Combination of both Characters

in the same bird — I have

no doubt but that it is by the

sense of sight chiefly that birds

of prey procure their food

Still that of smell is highly

[page break]

developed in some birds as an

Anecdote by Mr Antorni

will prove if true. tho the

narrative Savours not a little

of the saw [?] head & bloody bones
“A gentleman was murdered

by an innkeeper” (under very

atrocious circumstances) “In order

to avoid discovery and to prevent

the body from rising to the surface

of the water, he pierced it through

with a long stake sharpened at

the End, which he pushed into

the mud so far that only a small

portion of the end of the Stake was

visible. — A few days afterwards

some ravens arrived from all directions

and crowded to the spot, their incessant

croaking altogether unusual to the

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[column break]

CORRESPONDENCE

place, led the inhabitants to fancy
a thousand foollish stories. the
pertinacity of the birds was such
alas, that it was useless to attempt

driving them away; this in
creased the excited curiosity of
the people so much, that the
stake was at length with dif
ficulty drawn out, which was
no sooner done than the body rose
to the surface of the water.
Enquires were made the
track of the cart wheels was
traced from the river to the
back of the inn and the
Murderer when taken confessed
his crime.”
Mr Knapp observes of the Rook,

[Rook Corvus frugilegus|

[page break]

‘I have often observed them

alight on a pasture of uniform

Verdure, and Exhibiting no

Sensible trace of withering or

Decay, and commence stocking [?]

up the ground, upon investigating

the object of these operations, I

have found many heads of plan

tains dandelions, & other plants drawn out

out [sic] of the ground and scattered
about; their roots having been

taken off by a grub, leaving

only a crown of leaves upon

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 90

the surface, which grub these
birds had detected in their
flight and decended to feed
upon, and which they did
by first pulling up the plant
which concealed it and, then
drawing the larvae from their
holes. By what intimation
this bird had discovered its
hidden food, we are at a
loss to conjecture; but the
Rook has always been supposed
to scent Matters with great
discrimination.”

“Water birds might be sup

[There do not appear to be quote marks ending this quote, so that
the end of the quote, if it is a quote, is unknown.|

[column break]

posed, from the considerable
development of their nerves
of smell, to have this sense
Very acute, and Leucretius

accordingly attributes to the quick
smelling of the Geese their discovery
of the Gauls when they attempted

to take the Capital by surprise

— the organs of smell in the goose
are however considerably less

[in dark ink between lines: vide note at the end]

developed than in the duck —

— The petrels we might infer, ought
to possess an acute small, as their
Nostrils are not only large, but
different from other birds; They
project distinctly from the beak
forming a singular looking sort [?]

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CORRESPONDENCE 91

of nose; — in Some Species, as the

Pintado petrel (Procellaria Capensis)
[Cape Petrel Daption capense|

nearly an inch long. in the Giant

Petrel (P. gigantea) it is much more
[either Southern Giant-Petrel Macronectes giganteus or Northern
Giant-Petrel M. halli, not at that time separated]

— as these birds do not fly so high

in the air as Vultures and Ravens

and live upon dead fish and simi

lar, garbage. These prominent Nostrils

are probably intended to render them

“Sagacious of their quarry from afar”

[Grant is correct that the procellariiform birds do have a well
developed sense of smell.|

[page break]

This opinion is rendered more
probable from the very different
structure of the Nostrils in birds
which live on live fish. The
Pelecans for Example have the
Cavity of the Nostrils in general
very small, and the marginal
cartilage, as well as the opening

in the bone, Scarcely perceptible,
Even in the Skeleton, the Cormorant
again, which is ranked in the

Same group (pelecanidae) has

the Nostrils so small that Dr
Blainville Says it is with difficulty
a very small slit can be dis
tingushed in the living bird

hence he designates them by the
term Cryptosrhinia — The same
Author describes in Several Species

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a sort of Scale covering the Nostrils
like a lid. It is worthy of remark
that the King fisher, though not a
Swimming bird like the Pelecans

[column break]

and cormorants, has very small

Nostrils with a cartilaginous lid,

Smell being, so far as we can

judge of inferior moment to

them, in as much as they feed

almost Exclusively on live

fish which — they must discover

and pursue by the eye “ Birds. do eat

of [illegible]
I. Know [?]

[It is unclear by its position whether the quote marks accompany
the “eye” or “Birds,” but the quote marks are in a dark tone more
like the parenthetical remarks beginning with “Birds.”

Some people deny altogether the existence

of the sense of smell in birds

while others seem to ascribe

to it too much acuteness — we

find that the Shape of the Nostrils

Varies with the habits & feeding

of the bird, and thus forms a Very

good generic distinction — per

haps I shall have ready for

next trip a paper “on the Senses

of Smell & Sight in birds” and

I wait for the Moonlight Nights

in order to procure a goatsucker

for dissection. — When I hope

to have something New for you

[page break]
Vanga Destructor Nol

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CORRESPONDENCE 93

[Grey Butcherbird]

I return this Specimen of the laugh

ing Jack-Ass of this colony, you say

that you have not seen the bird

which in Sydney they call by the

Same Name — it belongs to a totally

different family — Viz. the King-fisher
[Laughing Kookaburra]

it is thus decribed by Brown

— ‘Brown above, white beneath,

with grey undulated bars on the

abdomen; feathers of the head Elon

gated; wing coverts & rump green,

tail with transverse black bars. 18 inches

long. [inhabits] N. Holland” — the bill is very
[Brown 1833, vol. 1, p. 225; “Dacelo gigantea, The Gigantic
Dacelo”|

large, thick, Strong, & quadrangular

I have seen it in the Zoological

Society Garden in London — & I be

lieve that is confined to N.S.W

it is a very ugly bird. —

Genus Halcyon No 2
I return your very fine specimen
of the true King-fisher but I cannot
find the specific description, at least
one that will apply completely — but

[column break]

I think it more than probable

that it is the Halcyon Cinnam

mominus here described.
[The Azure Kingfisher is the only regularly occurring kingfisher
with cinnamon underparts in Tasmania. The Sacred Kingfisher
Todiramphus sanctus, occasionally occurs in Tasmania and in fresh
plumage has a cinnamon wash on the underparts and more closely

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 94

resembles the Micronesian Kingfisher 7. cinnamominus than does
the Azure Kingfisher. |
Halc. caeruleo-viridis; pileo collo,
plumisque totis subtus pallide cin
namominis; Auribus viridibus;
Nucha torque Nigro gracili ornata
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 206]
— You see that this does not Ex
actly coincide perhaps it may
belong to the genus. Ceyx
Ceyx azurea is as follows.
[Azure Kingfisher]
— Ceyx Saturaté azurea, corpore
Subtus lorisque flavescentibus, lat
eribus colli macula obliqua alba
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 208]
Saturate azurea applies to
this specimen (above), but it is more of
a cinnamon than a yellow colour
below
There is a very remarkable cir
cumstance in the structure of the
feet in this bird, all the king-fishers
which I have ever seen have had
three toes before, (though Cral [?] feet
certainly) whereas this bird has
only two, a mere rudiment ind [sic]

[page break]

indicating the place of the inner toe

this [drawing of foot] is something like the
foot [Figure 12] of the King-fisher
though rather long as to the two outer

toes the inner marked A is sufficiently
developed — in the specimen before me [?]
You see that it is merely rudi-

Mentary — perhaps this is a generic

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CORRESPONDENCE 95

Aliieniirs te pla €e- tf HE Li:
ye Xx f é Va
frente Hing LL,

Figure 12. Foot of an Azure Kingfisher (Alcedo azurea).

distinction of Ceyx and you may Enlighten me on
the subject —

(round — tail)
Genus Platycereus (: TAatvug Kepkoc)
Species Platy. Eximius No 3
[Eastern Rosella]
Rosella Parakeet
I lately received a specimen shot in
this neighbourhood, which seems to
be an incidental Variety of the Rosella
but as I have Not a specimen of that
bird perhaps you will be kind Enough
to compare & report upon them
it appears to me that the tail
is not so well developed as in the
true Rosella. & the upper Mandibula
Seems Much Elongated, but that may
be from the way in which it has dried
[See Gunn’s comments on dried birds skins, pp. 104-105.]
The upper parts are of a light yellow

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 96

with a tinge of green — underparts
[Possibly this is a young bird, which lacks the distinctive black
centers to the bright yellow dorsal feathers.|

[column break]

bright light yellow, the head,

Nape, breast, and Vent of

bright red. the feathers being

faintly bordered with yellow

, [sic] the shoulders & and outer web
of the wing-feathers of a light

Azure — inner web of a Dirty White
two longest tail feathers

are greenish the others are

white & light azure, I

send it for your inspection

Genus Calyptorhynchus
(KaAvrto, celo. pvyyoc, rostrum)
Species Calypto; Galeatus No 4
Red Crowned parrot. Lath. gen. hist
[Latham 1821-1828, vol. 2, (1821), pp. 218-219] [Gang-gang
Cockatoo Callocephalon fimbriatum|
I send the male & female
birds of this name — they were
shot. at Port Philip
[present-day Melbourne]
by Mr
Wedge. and belong to the same
genus as our black Cockatoos
“The chief difference between
this Genus & that of Plyctolophus
(the white Cockatoo) consists in
the greater Elevation and the
comparative shortness of the
bill, the later group
[page break]

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CORRESPONDENCE

possesses a bill of nearly an
Equal length and similar construction
to that of the true Psittacus.
[African Grey Parrot Psittacus erithacus|
While Calyptorhynchus is allied
to the Maccaws in the character of
this member, and thus Evinces a higher
development than [?] Plyctolophus of
[e.g., Sulphur-crested Cockatoo]
the typical peculiarities of the family
the culmen of the upper mandibula
is considerably curved & bent in
wards at the apex, the under
Mandibula is also much more
dilated than it is in Plycto
lophus, the group appears to be
confined to Australia, the black
colour that prevails through these
birds separates them also at
first sight from species of
Plyclotophus, which are generally
white — the Calypto — galeatus
[Gang-gang Cockatoo]
which deviates from the character
istic colouring of its Congeners
connects the two groups”
Vigors and Horsf.
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, pp. 269-271]

[column break]

Genus Pezoporus. III.
Species Pezop. formosus.
[Ground Parrot|
this is the beautiful ground parakeet
of the swamps. green with black
& yellow bands — I last year

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discovered a curious structure

in this bird - it has no Clavicle

or furculum (Merry thought) and

the Articulations of the Coracoid

bones being very loose, the [sic] should

readily approximate — probably

to Enable the bird to run & make

its way more easily among the

thick grass of the swamps which it

frequents — in consequence if

this want of a fixed point on which

the humerus or bone of the arm

Must Move, the flight is feeble

and unsustained, it never flies

any distance but on being flushed

it soon alights — and yet the
[These comments indicate that Grant had a keen awarness of the
relationship between structure and function. However, in the
platycercine parrots, which include the rosellas and Ground
Parrot, the absence of the furcula is normal, while the birds are
capable of strong and sustained flight.]

Keel of the Sternum is Very deep &

continues to the Very End of the Sturnum

I send you the Sternal apparatus

of one of these birds which I dissected

this afternoon. & also that of the

wedge

[page break]

Wedge-tailed Eagle in order that

you may compare the two — the

Eagle has a finely formed set

of bones, — the strength is concentrated
in the front, and the clavicles form

a perfect arc having its depth

in the direction of the Strain — the
coracoid bones (which are peculiar

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 99

CORRESPONDENCE

to birds) are also Short, Strong,
and placed at an angle which
Meets about the centre of the
Sternum. And you will observe
a Strengthening ridge running
along this latter bone to that
point marked A — The Sternum
itself is Very finely formed
like the Run [?] of a vessel, the
inside is concave & is admirably
adapted for the support and
protection of the lungs and other
viscera, you observe numerous
holes on this surface these are
the openings from which atmos
pheric air is conveyed into all
the bones directly from the lungs.
Compare now the same parts
with those of the ground parakeet — observe
in the first place the total absence
of the furcal bones (clavicle) (this [sic]

[column break]

(the ligaments you see are common

to all birds) — thus the Coracoids

are nearly parallel & loosely ar
ticulated & longer in proportion

than those of the Eagle — the Sternum
is very narrow anteriorly — broad
posteriorly with two large holes filled
up with membrane— indicating great
power of leg. [?] the lower surface is
very flat. & narrow — but this is made
up by a Very deep Keel reaching the
whole length of the Sternum — the
pectoral muscles are therefore of a
considerable size but with short

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100

fibers — and this lesser pectoral

which (raises the wing) passes through this hole B
forming a pulley is larger in pro

portion than in birds of more powerful

flight. the Eagle for example — the

parrot has therefore a Very ready [?]

wing. but his flight for the reasons

Stated cannot be continued without

great fatigue — __ to be continued in our next.

Note — As to the Nerves described in

the bills of ducks & geese they are not

nerves of smell at all but of Sensation

for probing in the mud — they are branches of
the fifth pair - the 1st pair on which the

Sense of Smell depends is ramified on

the Mucous membrane inside the Nostrils

the Platypus has these branching of the 5th. Very
large

[Ornithorhynchus anatinus|

[end of letter]

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CORRESPONDENCE 101

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102

yo < ie
7 , ! 3 i r 7 f
—— ee ~. ww yg sep Le pee EF —— (OF?. SRE i tz tLe ac le p Rau
BPA a -” re en ea es _ a a a = # on 5 Foie a
pe ae é Z ee ar im
a : aT
: ne ee. ee:
le no i ag oe ta ET I “ib LEESON Cpe RE GA A
, - we.

Pa a # a

ee fea 2 “ ie as a a Le 4,

| pew2seo oa LOPFAICP tyr % a Saree wks ae EES e a ot* as oe oes pee le Fe
- - A #

o fe Mee
Dae Sf, IZ see 27. 27. ee a “2 pg tt yz ad ay oa ge 2 ee eg te ae pa Pag FF
} OP AP sd Ta ee : = e of a a ea ae = mae va

SA ea ce tea ed as Pe se ea EET BE gy ars 2Z. ce oe faa a ag eae # JF pe aA

ae ae > he:
A ried See Zz ed tg ide Ite is POR Ate op Pee a: 2Z — 2a iy we co al

a Zz ee

pw eee te 4 pee pee | ree po ea
t eo ee ae va
i o
{ j oe
i : 7

a fag otf 12g =. 2 eae Pp YP ee ts ttt GI Ea
[eeerate 9 tee pols tee GP ta fir OE a = ;
- Ps

een SL? LIE PE PLL BLIP LI De LTS

Kg Ee eee

| GD TM ye RLS

yung pe Oe

—P—

Figure 13. Circular-Head Scientific Journal, 29 April 1837.

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The
Circular-Head Scientific Journal.
Edited by Ronald C. Gunn. [Figure 13]

Vol. I No. 4. Circular Head 29" April 1837. Gratis to
J. Grant.

I am in receipt of your highly
interesting Communication No. 3
as also sundry esteemed papers
and notes. — Various causes have
tended to delay my journal

but more particularly the labour
required in packing a large box

of Natural History productions

for Britain, writing notes, &c,
frequent visits on duty at woolnorth
and the time occupied in my
favorite pursuit of Botany has

I regret to say caused me to
neglect you and my Ornithological
matters to an extent which I

did not at first anticipate —
however it will depend much

on you to brush me up from

time to time, & prevent a relapse.

[column break]

Reply
In chronological order I must

first allude to your remarks

on the organ of smell in birds
but shall make no comments
until I am in receipt of your
paper “On the Senses of Smell
& Sight in birds” — when I may

103

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104

probably enlarge a little —

Kingfisher. Our kingfisher 1s, as
supposed by you, of the Genus
Ceyx — and thus described —

[Alcedo.|

The Genus Ceyx of Lacepede are

kingfishers with the common bill

but destitute of the internal

toe.

Azure kingfisher — Al. Tribrachys
[Azure Kingfisher]

Shaw’s Nat Mis.
[Shaw’s Natural Miscelleny, 1813 or 1814, Vol. 16, page facing
Plate 681, describes Alcedo tribrachys as “Deep-blue KINGFISH-
ER, ferriginous beneath, with blackish wings and tridactyle feet.”

Fine deep blue above, buff

[page break]

underneath; streaks buff & white;
7 inches — New Holland. —

I shot one similar to the specimen
I sent you on the South Coast

of New Holland. —

Platycercus eximius. Var. lutea.
[Eastern Rosella]

I have carefully examined your
specimen and have the strongest
reason to believe (unless you are
positively assured to the contrary)
that it is only a Common Roselle
Parrot the colours of which have
faded by long keeping. — The
skins of birds and animals

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[column break]

[Ground Parrot]

CORRESPONDENCE

entirely change when exposed to
the atmospheric air for a

length of time — either in a room
or Verandah. — The Bill of the
bird is evidently elongated by
having been suspended by it
when recently skinned — a
Common practice — but a bad
one — as it lengthens the neck &

the weight of the skin gives it
unnatural shape. — I recently
saw a number of skins of both
birds & animals so changed in
Colour that it was with difficulty
I could recognize the most Common
species - & such I believe to be
the case with yours — In every
point it is precisely alike except
in the paler colours of red

blue & green.

Pezoporus formosus. Your

remarks on the anatomy of this
bird are highly interesting - &

if you can spare it I should
gladly retain the skeleton — Your
knowledge of Anatomy & Surgery
renders you well fitted for the
investigation of the peculiarities
of Australian Zoology. — Our
forms of Birds it is true do

not differ widely from those

of other countries, but our

105

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106

[page break]

animals our extraordinary. —

[Gunn was interested in mammals as well as birds and plants and
was obviously aware of how strikingly different the Australian
marsupial-dominated mammalian fauna was from other areas of
the world.|

Original.
I send for your inspection a
specimen of the Swift alluded

to in your Communication 1°

it was shot on 26 Feby. near

Circular Head & I regret I could

not obtain a second specimen —

It is a beautiful bird — the tail

feathers are peculiarly pointed. —

Temminck has referred these
[Temminck (1815) 1835]

sharp-tailed swallows to the Cypseli

or Swifts — And Mr. Stephens seperates them under
[Mr. Stephens is James Francis Stephens (1792-1853), who contin-
ued Shaw’s General Zoology after the death of Shaw in 1813
(Whittell 1954).]

the Generic name of “Chaetura”
[Shaw 1800-1826, vol. 13, pt. 2 (1826), p. 76]

The species in question appears

to be

Cypselus giganteus. Pl. Col. 364.
[White-throated Needletail|

Body, black; neck, brown; tail and

wing-coverts & side of belly, bottle

green; back & scapulars, dull

ash; sides of belly & vent, white;

tarsi naked. — No Habitat Mentioned.
[Cuvier 1827-1832 (1829), Vol. 7(2). p. 70]

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CORRESPONDENCE 107

[column break]

There are two other species mentioned

as belonging to New Holland viz.

Hirundo caudacuta. Lath. (Chaetura

Australis, Step.) “Dusky, tinged
[This is again the White-throated Needletail.]

with shining green; forehead &

throat white.” — and H. Pacifica
[Fork-tailed Swift, which on rare occasions visits Tasmania.]| [the
quote about the White-throated Needletail and description of H.
pacifica are from Cuvier 1827-1832 (1829), Vol. 7(2), p. 70.]

of Lath. — which last however

cannot be our bird. —

Musicapa Lathami. I am
[Probably the Pink Robin]

enabled at last to send you a
male & female of this species

of Robin Red-Breast. — It is
usually found here in scrubby
places — and not in open
situations like our other two
species. — (Nos. 2 & 3 now sent.)

Emu Wren. Our species appears
[Southern Emu-wren Stipiturus malachurus littleri, an endemic
Tasmanian subspecies]

to be figured in Griffith’s “Cuvier”
[probably Cuvier 1827-1832, the title of which contains, “with sup-
plementary additions to each order by Edward Griffith” |

as Malurus gularis of Vieillot.

but I can see no specific description

of such species in the body of the

work — it also possess [sic] no Index

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM B= 108

108
or list of Synonyms — rendering
[page break]

reference exceedingly difficult —

In the descriptions the following

appears to be the species. —

Muscicapa Malachura “Lin.

Trans. — Ferruginous brown, beneath

paler; streak before the eye & eye-

brow pale blue; throat gray;

beard of tail feathers loose” —
[Cuvier 1829 (1827-1832). Volume 6, p. 468]

This agrees pretty well — except

that the throat ought to be pale_

blue instead of gray —

The word Malurus is used by

Vieillot to designate as a Genus

some species of the warblers

distinguished by a gauze like

tail. —

Report on this bird.

No. 4. is here called Satin Bird
[probably the Satin Flycatcher Myiagra cyanoleuca|

but is different from the Bird

so called in New South Wales

The specimen is a male. — The female

is very different in Colour & I

regret I have not a specimen

[column break]

to send. — There are some of the
same genus in New Holland & I
possess a specimen possessing a
general resemblance but two

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CORRESPONDENCE

inches longer & white on throat to the

vent. — Refer to your Lin. Trans.

[Restless Flycatcher]

[Bassian Thrush]

[page break]

[Gang-gang Cockatoo; not found in Tasmania today]

Turdus varius. I saw this bird,

mentioned by you as rare, very
abundant in the dense Myrtle

Forest going to, & in the neighbour-

hood of the Hampshire Hills.

I shot six. They appear to be
always in similar Situations —
rarely perch on trees more than
a few feet off the ground — but
more usually only on the dead
wood. — They are so tame that it
is difficult to get far enough

off to shoot them properly — that
is, if you attempt to retire, the
wood is usually so thick & dense
that you cannot take aim —

It is also at Circular Head.—

Calyptorhyncus Galeatus. This

Bird has visited Circular Head
during the last fortnight in

April. — I saw one flock containing

6 to 9. Two or three have been
shot by different persons, but

I have been unable to procure
any of them — there [sic] rarity I
suppose making them valued. —
They feed on the Seeds of the

109

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110

Eucalypti — and have a note very

different to any species in V.D.L.

I suppose an unusual prevalence

of Northerly winds has blown them

to us from King’s Island — or the

South Coast of New Holland. —
[This suggests that the formerly resident population on King
Island was known. |

[In the following section, Gunn proposes that he and Grant com-
pile a “History of the Birds of V.D.L.,” an organized treatment of
each group of bird species, adding to the list as additional species
were found.|

As | intend visiting Launceston
by this trip I shall defer various
matters which I intended to have
inserted in this. — I find that

our publications are too irregular
in their style & arrangement

[column break]

and I hope after seeing you

to alter matters on this point
and I hope to improve them. —
As we have no true

beginning — but hop from

one Genus to another, I intend
proposing that we make a

fair start systematically — so
that in fact our numbers

will be a perfect “History of
the Birds of V.D.L.” — And
for that purpose to commence
with “Raptors.” — Supplementary
sheets may occasionally be

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se Pat

CORRESPONDENCE

added on Miscellaneous subjects,
and the thing got up somewhat
decently. —

In commencing upon this

plan it will not be essential

that we should possess all

the species — but set about
describing all we do possess
trusting to our good fortune

[page break]

to obtain the others in due
Course. — Classifying the Birds
in this way would lead us

to remark the peculiarities

of all the individuals of a
Certain family — much more
correctly than we can now

do by starting off at a

tangent from a Parrot to a
Wren — and back again to a
Hawk or Swallow. —

Again I find reference to
voluminous works no easy
matter where a number of
genera are concerned, whereas
were it only for one or two you
may, as it were, read straight
through. —

I shall be happy to hear

your opinion on this subject

& hope it will meet with

your Cordial approbation &
Support. —

[column break]

111

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112
Reviews of Books.

Under this head some interesting

articles might be written — and

although a systematic Review

need not be attempted, yet

general observations on and

opinions of a work would

be useful. — Errors are also

frequently published which

we could more easily detect

& point out. — On this point

I only mean works devoted

to Natural History. —

This and many other things

connected with our favorite

and delightful pursuit occupy

my mind, and if we can

bring our ideas to bear — why

who knows what good

may result from our enquires.

We may also perhaps excite in

others a taste in the same way,

& thereby do much good. —
Excuse Haste.

[end of letter]

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CORRESPONDENCE

113

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 114
114

—P—

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Se ; ite
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“/ Pa 2 ee a aes = = f oe Ayr Poe 4 a ee a ae ae >t oe.
pete 72 ar age £ 7 a i ha kad ie - er Ft yt AG
A
ra go

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vo é = a &

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2 a 21a ead Dy eee a il wl eh wis IF GRA eee DF Er. 2g POF
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8 FP

A ma eS, ee ps BF = a " ae E 2 jo Ef ore o 3-#5 ar
ee see PT a ee POE DET foape Ca eee ak pea ae
5 a wv yl 4,
pee ee APO BRIS . PD OF PER the eee ood gy 7 F- seater se BPE CO 9 Peet 7
SES a ras * Br Ee a aaa Pie Fe 3 aay eae BE
Fee SIG? aR aE “3 rye Fi oo OP Rg aI ot 3 ofa é + s ae ae ;
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Cer :
f ra : > BB ate 2
Pepe TCG? we “PLAT See eo ee Ree 78 fiat SDA es 2 SS A? vi oe
a “ — f/ f
; Ape a fT 7
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be

A ‘eeeee7 ey D7 PpPUoy Ag PYPY

Touma 7 Yyunne Pre -Wwynawsy
p

—P—

Figure 14. Circular-Head Scientific Journal, 11 July 1837.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 115

The
Circular-Head Scientific Journal.
Edited by Ronald C. Gunn. [Figure 14]

Vo. II. No. [no number given] 11 July 1837

Class. AVES.

Order. Accipitres. Lin. Raptores. Illig.
Birds of Prey are known by their hooked
beak and talons, powerful weapons, with
which they pursue other birds and even
the weaker quadrupeds and reptiles.
They are among birds what the car-
nivora are among quadrupeds. The
muscles of their thighs and legs indicate
the strength of their claws; their tarsi
are rarely elongated; they have, all, four
toes; the nail of the thumb and that
of the internal toe are the strongest.
The [sic] form two families, the Diurnal
and the Nocturnal.

Family I. Diurnae.

The eyes of the Diurnal birds of prey
are directed side-ways; they have a

[column break]

membrane called the cera, or cere, covering
the base of the beak, in which the

nostrils are pierced; three toes before,

one behind, without feathers, the two
external ones almost always united

at the base by a short membrane; the

115

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116

plumage dense, the quills strong, and
great power on the wing. Their sternum
is broad, & completely ossified, in order
to give more extended attachments

to the muscles of the wings, and

their fourchette (furca) semicircular

and widely separated, the better to

resist the violent flexions of the

humeri necessary to a rapid flight.
Linnaeus comprehended them all

under two genera, which are so many
natural divisions, the vultures & the falcons.

[It would be interesting to know what Gunn meant by “natural
divisions.” In pre-Darwinian times “natural divisions” could mean
many things.|

[page break]

Of the Vulturidae (Vigors) I believe
no species exists in this Colony.

Falconidae (Leach)

The Falcons form the second, & by
far most numerous division of the
diurnal birds of prey. Their head &
neck are covered with feathers; their
eyebrows project, which occasions the
eye to appear sunk, and gives their
physiognomy a character very differ-
ent from that of vultures; the

greater number prey on living animals,
but they differ in the courage with
which they pursue it. Their first
plumage is often very differently
coloured from that of the adult, which

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CORRESPONDENCE 117

is only assumed in their third or
fourth year, a circumstance which
has occasioned a great multipli-
cation of species. The female is
generally one third larger than the
male, which on this account is
styled a tercel.

[This is an early description of reversed sexual dimorphism. |
[column break]

We should, first of all, subdivide
this genus into two great Sections.

The Falcons properly so called,
(commonly called the Noble birds of Prey,)
Form the first. They are, for their
relative size, the most courageous of the
whole; their offensive arms, & the power
of their wings, are proportioned to their
Courage. Their beak, bending from
its base, has a sharp tooth on each
side, at the point. The Second quill
feather is the longest; but the first
is nearly as long, rendering the
entire wing longer and more pointed.
From these premises result peculiar
habits; the length of the quill feather
weakens their efforts at vertical
flight, and compels them, in a calm
state of the atmosphere, to fly obliquely
forwards, so that when they wish to
rise directly upwards, they are obliged
to fly against the wind. All of them have
the wings as long & longer than the tail.

[page break]

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118

The enumeration of the species of
V.D.L. “Falco”, as of the other genera
will follow after the introductory
Remarks on the Order.

The second Section of the great
genus Falco is that of birds of
prey called ignoble, because they
cannot be easily employed in
falconry; a tribe much more nu-
merous than that of the nobles, and
which it is also necessary to subdivide
Considerably. The fourth quill of their
wings is almost always the longest,
and the first is very short which pro
duces the same effect as if their wing
were obliquely truncated at the tip,
whence, caeteris paribus, result diminish-
ed powers of flight; their beak also
is not so well armed, there being
no lateral tooth near its point, but
a mere slight emarination about
the middle of its length.

The Eagles. Aquila. (Brisson.)

[column break]

The Eagles which constitute the
first tribe, have a very strong

beak, straight at base, and only
curved towards the point. Among
them we have the largest species
of the genus, and the most powerful
of all the birds of prey. The

Eagles, properly so called, have the
tarsi feathered, even to the base of
the toes. Their wings are as long

as the tail, their flight both high
and quick, & their courage exceeds

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CORRESPONDENCE 119

that of other birds.
The Eagles are now subdivided into
Aquila proper (to which belongs
our A. fuscosa),

[Wedge-tailed Eagle]
the Haliaetus of
Savigny, or Fisher Eagles of Cuvier.
(of which I think our Island
produces one or more species), the
Pandion, (Savigny,) or Osprey. — The
Harpyia, (Cuv.) or Harpies, and
Morphnus, (Cuv.) or Eagle Hawks. —
The subdivision Haliaetus differs

[page break]

from Aquila in some minor points;
they have the same wings, but the
tarsi are feathered only on the upper
half, and the other half shielded —
They inhabit the banks of rivers

and the sea shore, & live principally
on fish.

The Ospreys (Pandion.) have the
beak & feet of the fisher eagles, but
their nails are round underneath,
while in other birds of prey they are
bent and channeled; their tarsi are
reticulated, & the second wing feather
is longest.

The Harpies differ from the fisher
Eagles in having shorter wings -

& the beak & talons are stronger.
The Eagle Hawks also have wings
shorter than the tail like the Harpies
but as I am not aware that we
possess any species of either |

may as well abridge the generic

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120
Characters.
[column break]
Astur, (Bechstein. )

The Goshawks, which form the

second division of the Ignobles, like

the last three tribes of Eagles, have

wings shorter than their tail, but their

beak is curved from its base, as in all

those which are to follow. We particularly

designate as Goshawks those which

have rather short & scutellated tarsi.

The name of Sparrowhawk (Nisus Cuv.)
[Accipiter nisus, the Sparrowhawk of Europe]

is generally appropriated to those whose

tarsi are higher and Scutellated; but

the transitions from one Division to the

other are almost insensible.

Milvus. Bechstein. Kites

Pernis. Cuv. The Honey Buzzards
Buteo. Bech. Buzzards.

Circus. Bech. The Harriers.
Serpentarius. Cuv. The Secretary.

As I am not aware at this moment

of any species of the last five genera
existing in V.D.L. I have not attached
the genetic Characters.

[The Swamp Harrier Circus approximans was apparently less
common in Gunn and Grant’s time and is now common in
Tasmania, particularly in agricultural areas. The species is
described by Grant from Tasmania in a 1837 letter (see pp. 157-
160).]

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CORRESPONDENCE 121
Here end the Diurnae.
[page break]

General Remarks on the Order
Accipitres. Fam. Diurnae.

Under this head I only intend
touching on various subjects more
immediately connected with the
family under consideration, pur-
posing in another number to

give an introductory article on
Birds in general. —

The keenness of sight possessed
by the Eagles, Hawks, &c induces me
to make some additional Remarks
on that organ to those sent in a
previous number.

Sight is extremely perfect in birds
& they have the peculiar faculty of
seeing objects near or distant equally
well. The means by which this is
effected are not satisfactorily explained,
though a power of changing the
Concavity of the eye is probably the
proximate cause. Like all other phy-
sical peculiarities, it is admirably

[column break]

adapted to the mode of existence of the
class; a quick and perfect sight of
objects & perception of distances is
necessary to the rapidity of movements
& and the securing of their Prey to birds.
All the genera, except the Owls, see

a single object but with one eye.

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122

The situation of these organs, however,
enables them to take in a much larger
field of view than animals whose

eyes look straight before them.

Not to dwell with minuteness on

some peculiarities which distinguish
the eyes of birds, we shall pass to

an additional word or two on the

third eyelid, or nictitating membrane.
This is folded in the angle of the eye
next to [?] the nose, and is brought over
the organ like a curtain, in a

vertical direction, and not horizontally,
or up and down, like the ordinary
eyelids. This membrane is partially
transparent, & one of its purposes

[page break]

seems to be, to prevent the access of too
much light into the eye, when the bird

is exposed to that inconvenience. With

a few exceptions, the upper eyelid of birds is
fixed, the lower one only moving.

The action of the nictitating membrane
is highly mechanical & curious. Being
partly pervious by light, it seems neces-
sarily to be destitute of fleshy fibres,

& could not, therefore, be attached in
the ordinary way to a muscle. It is
elastic, & lies, when unexcited, drawn
back in the angle of the eye, but,

when used, is put into action by two
muscles attached to the posterior part

of the globe of the eye, one of which is
composed of fibres descending obliquely
toward the optic nerve, & terminating

in a tendon of peculiar character,

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CORRESPONDENCE 123

having no insertion or attachment,
but forming a cylindrical canal,
which bends round the optic nerve.
The other muscle is attached above

[column break]

the eye, near the nose, & is composed of a
little fibrous cord, which passes under
the eye, to the lower edge of the nictitating
membrane; the action of these two muscles
draws the membrane across the eye.
Birds have also in their
eyes a large quantity of aqueous
humour, especially birds of elevated
flight, that the light may be so much
the more refracted as the air in
which they rise becomes more rarified.
The reverse is the case with fishes,
for the light is sufficiently refracted
through the watery medium in which
they are immersed, & which is so
much denser than the air.
The power which, however it may be
explained, birds do certainly possess
of altering the convexity of the eye,
of rendering the sight more or less
distant, according to the wants of
the animal, by connecting the
divergence of the visual rays,

[page break]

is the reason why many birds as
well as the owl family, are nocturnal.
A considerable number are also par-
tial to twilight, as, for instance,

the majority of the grallae

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124

Of the organs of smell I have in
a former number entered into pretty
full detail, and the organ of hearing
except perhaps to the owls, appears
not to be so very fully developed as
in many Mammalia, although still
very perfect; — they possess no external
Conch to the ear.
The Accipitres are monogamous
& seldom lay more than two to
four eggs. —
Of the Falcons little can be said
in addition to the early parts of this
number. — They are very long lived.
A Falcon belonging to James the
First, in 1610, with a gold collar
bearing that date, was found in 1793
at the Cape of Good Hope. This bird,

[column break]

though more than 180 years old, was
still considerably vigorous.

[This is probably in error. In recent times captive bred falcons
only live to about 20 years of age, although eagles and large owls
may live into their fifties (David Bird pers. comm.).|

Next comes the Eagles. The eagle
holds, among the feathered race, the
foremost rank, & his station is analogous
to that of the lion among the Mammalia.
The vulgar notion of cruelty, rapine,

&c, usually attached to the Carnivorous
tribes, are, to say no worse of them,
exceedingly silly. They may serve

to embellish declamation or poetry, when
Sounding words are found a convenient

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CORRESPONDENCE 125

substitute for just ideas; but they
are calculated only to mislead the
understanding, & have no place in
philosophical

[scientific]
investigation. If the
Eagle, like other Carnivore, subsists
on flesh, it is because he cannot
help it; the structure of his stomach
& intestines precludes the use of other
food. Unprovided with internal
Organs to reduce other aliment to
a nutritive consistence, he does

[page break]

not violate, but fulfils the laws
of nature, by the employment of those
destructive weapons with which she
has armed him. Neither do these car-
nivorous propensities constitute a
bye-law, or an exception to the grand
Code of the Universe. It is the fiat of
[It would be interesting to know what Gunn meant by “Grand
Code of the Universe.”
nature that life must subsist on life.
[This is a very modern-sounding concept. All heterotrophic organ-
isms require food obtained from other organisms.|
The modes, indeed, are different, but the
principle, the result, & the object are the
same. The peaceful herds & flocks which
graze on the plain, or browse upon the
mountain slope, are no less destroyers
of life, than the Sanguinary rangers
of the forest & and the air. Even vegetation
itself is sustained by what once was animal
existence, to which its own origin is in all
probability posterior.

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126

We shall not have recourse here, like
some writers, to the vague hypothesis
of final Causes, to explain all that ap-
pears contrary to our conventional ideas
of right & wrong in the great system

[column break]

of nature. The fact is, that of final
Causes we know very little; all we know is,
that things are so, and we may conclude
that they must be so. There are certain
conditions of existence without which
existence could not be. Wherever we
turn we find indubitable marks of that imperious
necessity, to which the highest intelli-
gence must bow, as well as the meanest
worm. It is no complement to the
Divinity to laud his wisdom in the
provisions he has made for the
preservation of any being, when we
know that, without such provisions,

the being could not exist at all; and

it is the height of presumption to
pretend to justify his operations, by
arguing from an imaginary and

an impossible hypothesis.

But without pretending to unravel

the mystery of final causes, or to

assign a reason why certain animals

are endowed with a sanguinary

[page break]
instinct, we may simply observe,
that the mischief operated by car-
nivorous animals in the creation
is comparatively very small. The
wolf may occasionally abstract a

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CORRESPONDENCE 127

lamb from the numerous flock, the
lion kill one buffalo out of the im-
mense herd, the eagle strike a
solitary kid; or the gerfalcon a
single hare; but the number of victims
bears no sort of proportion to the
number which escape. The benevolent
lord of the creation

[man]
executes more
destruction among his peers in one
glorious campaign, than all the
Carnivora from one end of the earth
to the other among the living tribes.

[This sarcasm concerning “benevolent” mankind, and his seeming
placing man within the context of the rest of the natural world
rather than separate from and above it is extraordinary for early
nineteenth century thinking.|

Among the lower animals, as in
savage and uncivilized nations, where
the intellectual faculties are but
slightly developed, strength & courage
are the surest titles to supremacy.

If then, the pre-eminent possession

[column break]

of the characteristic faculties of its
class, and the resistless exercise of them
in the element which constitutes its
domain, give any animal a claim

to exclusive superiority, the empire

of the eagle cannot be disputed by

any of the denizens of the air.

Shooting impetuously on untiring

wing to an incomprehensible distance,

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128

[page break]

or sailing majestically above the
mountain and the cloud, he assumes
his native place among the feathered
tribes; and none can escape his
pursuit or rival his elevation.

No other bird can cross his path on
high; all remain humbly in the
lower regions, forming a graduated
Scale down to the penguin, which

is provided only with the rudiments
of the organs essential to the capacity
of flight. The eagle is distinguished
by a lofty mien, an eye of piercing
vivacity, a bold assured gait, and

a general expression of commanding
nobleness. That this magnificent
bird should be classed among the
ignoble, by the professors of falconry,
because he distains a subservience
to the Caprices of man, is one proof
among many of the proneness of
human selfishness to the perversion
of words.

The female eagle usually lays
two, & but seldom, three eggs, which
she hatches for thirty days. —

[The clutch size of the Wedge-tailed Eagle is usually two, but the
incubation period is 42-48 days (Marchant and Higgins 1993).|

I am afraid I have already
made this introductory communication
too long — although the subject would
admit of being lengthend [sic] out
considerably. — Most of my remarks
are extracts, abridged and con-
densed to suit my purpose, and

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 129

[Although Gunn states that his philosophical remarks are not

CORRESPONDENCE

their not being original will give
them a character which they
would not otherwise possess.

129

original, they clearly indicate his own philosophical disposition. |

[column break]

From Cuvier’s admirabler “Animal
Kingdom” I hope to derive much

[Cuvier 1827-1832]

assistance in our future papers —
his opinions on all subjects
connected with Zoology bear a
truth which you in vain look

for in other works. —

The classification of species

I shall leave to you — and will
only beg to suggest that in all
Cases the specific descriptions
should be given in full, — And
I shall willingly add any
additional species from time to
time which you may have
omitted and I possess. —

If you complete the “Diurnae”’
in your next number I shall
then proceed with the “Nochurnae’
& from thence proceed with the
next Order. —

[end of letter]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 130

130

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Figure 15. Circular-Head Scientific Journal, 1 August 1837.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 131

The
Circular-Head Scientific Journal
Edited by Ronald C. Gunn. [Figure 15]

No. 2. Second Series. Circular-Head 1 August 1837.

The Second Family of Order 1°

(Accipitres) and the
Nocturnae

Nocturnal birds of prey have a
large head; great eyes, directed
forwards, surrounded by a circle
of slender feathers, the anterior of
which cover the cera of the beak,
& the posterior the opening of the
ear. Their enormous pupil permits
the entrance of so many rays of
light, that they are dazzled by that
of day. Their Cranium, which

is thick, but formed of a light
substance, is excavated by large
sinuses, which communicate

with the ear, and which probably
assist in strengthening the sense

[column break]

of hearing; but the organs of flight
are not very vigorous; their fourchette
is weak; their feathers being soft,

and covered with fine down, make

no noise in flying. They can direct
their external toe either forwards or
backwards. These birds are chiefly
on the wing during twilight, & when
the Moon shines. When attacked in
the day time, they do not fly off, but

131

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 132

132

stand more erect, assume odd postures,
& make the most ludicrous gestures.
Their gizzard is muscular, although
they subsist on animal matter, prin-
cipally mice, little birds & insects,

but it is preceded by a large crop;

their caeca are long & enlarged at

the bottom. Small birds have a

[page break]

natural antipathy to these, and unite
from all parts to assault them; hence
they are employed to draw birds to the
net. —

There is but one Genus of them
Strix, Lin. Which may be divided by
their tufts of feathers usually called
horns, the size of their ears, the
extent of the circle of feathers
which surrounds their eyes, and some
other characters.
Speaking of the divisions of this
Genus, an excellent Ornithologist has
observed “All these divisions are
unsatisfactory as generic, not
having, at least, external characters
sufficiently distinct to constitute
even Sections.”

The Divisions of Strix Lin. Are
1 Otus. Cuvier. The Horned Owls.
2 Ulula. Cuv. The Howlers.
3 Strix. Savigny —
4 Syrnium Savigny. The Syrnii

[column break]

5 Bubo. Cuv. The Ducs. [?]

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CORRESPONDENCE 133

6 Noctia. Sav. The Falconine Owls.
7 Scops. Sav. The Scops.

1. Of the Horned Owls (Otus) I am
aware of no species in V.D.L They
have on the forehead two plumes of
feathers, which are erected at pleasure
& their ear conch extends in a

half circle from the beak toward

the summit of the head, & is
furnished in front with membran-
aceous opercula. Their feet have
feathers down to the talons.

2. The Howlers (Ulula) have the
beak & the ears of the last division,
but not their crests.

3. Strix. (Savigny.) Have the ears as
big as those of the eared Owls, &
provided with an opercule, which

is still larger than that of those
species; but their elongated beak
bends only towards the end, while in
all the other Subgenera it is arched

[page break]

from the point. It is without crests;
the tarsi are feathered, but they have
nothing but hair on the toes. The
mask formed by the fringed feathers
which surround the eye, is of
greater extent, & gives their physiogno-
my a more extraordinary appearance
than in the other species.
To this belongs the Common White

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134

or Barn Owl of England.
[Tyto alba|

4. Syrnium. The Syrnii have
[Surnia]

the disk of the fringed feathers &
the little collar like the last; but
the Conch is reduced to an oral
Cavity, which does not occupy a
half of the height of the cranium.
They have no crests and the feet
are feathered to the nails.

5 The Ducs (Bubo) have the
Conch as small, and the disk
of feathers less remarkable, than
the Syrnii. They have crests.

6. The Falconine Owls (Noctua)
[column break]

have neither crests nor wide or
Concave Conchs to the ears, the
opening of which is oval, and
scarcely larger than in other birds.
The disk of fringed feathers is smaller,
and even less complete than in the
Bubo. —

Some are remarkable by a long,
wedge-shaped tail. They have the
toes very feathery, & and are called
Hawk-Owl.

7. The Scops (Scops) have the ears

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CORRESPONDENCE 135

flush with the head, imperfect
discs, and the toes naked.

Our largest Owl possesses a
very peculiar pectinated claw

[the pectinated claw is used in grooming feathers]
on the second toe which I do
not see alluded to in any of the
divisions of the Owl Family. —
It is possessed by many of the
Goatsuckers — but the bill widely
separates them in classification.

[page break]

General Remarks on the
Noctinae

The endless aberrations of Nature
from given types; the unwillingness
she seems to exhibit to be shackled
by general universal rules; the
excursive propensities as it were, of
her creative power, which defy the
faculty of the zoological systematist,
are equally observable, whether we
regard her works in the mass or
examine them in detail. Whether we
contemplate a class, a genus, or a
subordinate group.

Thus, although we find, that the
light and heat of the sun are agents
of a most influential character
in the development of life in both
the animal and vegetable kingdoms;
although the rule is most extensively
prevalent, that the day shall be the

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136

period for activity, & the display of
all the ulterior objects of life, &

[column break]

the night for resuscitation & repose,
yet this rule is by no means uni-
versal. A few beings are destined
to an active existence only, while all
other creatures sleep, and among these
in the present class, stand foremost
the Nocturnal bird of prey, — the
Owls.

The nocturnal habits of these birds,
like, indeed, all the habits peculiar
to any given animals, are decidedly
predestinated by their physical char-
acters. These habits are most
evidently not the effect of accident,
the caprice of the animal, or even
of involuntary instinct, uncontrolled
by physical Causes. The Owl is
not made for the full light of day
and can live only, for all the active
purposes of life, in the partial darkness;
the dusk of the evening, or gray of
the morning, is essential to the full
exercise of her vision; the noonday

[page break]

sun, or even the presence of that
luminary anywhere above the
horizon, dazzles and blinds her by
the influx of too much light
consequent on the unusual largeness
of the disk of the eye-pupil; but

this very circumstance which is

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CORRESPONDENCE 137

a source of so much inconvenience
to the animal by day, is, in fact,
an admirable Contrivance for the
perfection of vision during the Com-
parative darkness of twilight or
night. When the rays of light are
diffused, and cannot find access in
sufficient quantity to the ordinary
pupils of diurnal animals, the
capaciousness of those of the owl
takes in enough for the perfect use
of the eye; the shape of the pupil
seems to be unimportant, but the
Capaciousness of its disk is certainly
essential to nocturnal vision.
Although, however, the eyes of these

[column break]

birds will admit light enough for
all purposes of vision during twilight,
they will not enable them to see
sufficiently during the darkness of
night; and consequently, as they
cannot see from redundancy of
light during the day, and from want
of it during the greater part of
many nights, they have very short
space of time left then for procuring
their food.

The owl is enabled to make the
most of the short time allowed for
its predatory excursions, by the
exposed situation of its prey, and
by some other conditions of its own,
which may deserve notice. Most
of the small birds and quadrupeds
pursued by the Owl are the less able

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138
to guard themselves by flight, or
Concealment from the adversary, by
the partial darkness, which, while
it is advantageous to the owl,

[page break]

deprives them of the full advantages
of sight. The quill feathers, more-
over, of the Owl are so light and
downy, that it makes very little
noise in flight, and gives, therefore,
but little warning to its prey

through the sense of hearing. With
these advantages of its own, and dis-
advantages of its prey, therefore, the
Owl has little difficulty in redeeming
its many hours of necessary inac-
tivity; and the Capacity of its throat,
and undivided possession of its prey,
Consequent on its solitary habits,
add still more to its facilities, and
neutralize any apparent disadvan-
tages incident to its condition in

the pursuit of its food.

The owls are, Altogether, very
distinct from the diurnal rapacious
birds. The former have obtuse sight,
while the latter enjoy that sense to
an exquisite degree of perfection. The

[column break]

Owls have feathers immediately at the
base of the bill, with the upper mandible
in some degree moveable, as in the
parrots;
[The upper mandible is movable to some degree in most birds, but

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CORRESPONDENCE 139

with owls it is not as flexible as in parrots, in which the maxilla
has the greatest mobility.]
one of their anterior toes
also is capable of being turned
behind; and their flight is in
general heavy and silent; while
the diurnal accipitres in general,
have a denuded fleshey ridge at
the base of the Bill, with the upper
mandible perfectly fixed, all the
toes fixed, and a rapid, elevated,
and noisy flight. In fact, there
seems little else common to these
divisions of the birds of prey than
their carnivorous appetite, and
Consequent predaceous habit.

[Although not expressed in terms of relatedness (the concept of
common descent begins with Darwin, more than 20 years after
this letter of Gunn) Gunn, in his concluding comments above, is
essentially correct. Currently, the Osprey, hawks and eagles are
considered closely related and thus placed in the same family,
Accipitridae. The falcons (Falconidae) long considered closely
related to the Accipitridae are placed in the same Order, the
Falconiformes (e.g., Dickinson 2003). The typical owls, family
Strigidae, and the barn owls, family Tytonidae, are in the Order
Strigiformes. Gunn, without the benefit of the the concept of evo-
lution, could only empirically describe features that birds had, or
did not have, in common.|

I shall here close my present
Remarks on the Nocturnae
reserving any further ones until
the receipt of your Number with
the account of the Species.

[end of letter]

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140

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 141

[Letter from James Grant to R. C. Gunn]

Sunday afternoon
pen worn to a stump
[in Gunn’s handwriting: Recd 11 Nov 1837]

My Dear Sir
I have just completed a paper

on the diurnal birds of prey, which I

have hitherto delayed from having no materials

and now had it not been with a view to

Show you that I am as anxious and

interested about the matter as Ever, I would

not have attempted it — and as a matter

of course it is miserably deficient — I have

hastily gone over Swainsons arrangement

of the Falconidae — and in writing I have got

a much better idea of the different groups

than I had before -& I hope that the persual
[Grant has apparently just received Swainson’s two volumes
(Swainson 1836-1837) on birds, and procedes to summarize its
contents for the hawks. In doing so he copied a number of the
drawings from the book and quotes (without quote marks) a num-
ber of passages. He does, however, acknowledge the source.|

will be of some use to you — I think that

this arrangement is much simpler & better

than that of Cuvier which you have given

and multifarious as the new Systems are

I thought this a good one—& therefore have inc

a sketch of it
[see Figure 22]

— but if we begin in this manner [?]

the task is Endless we must keep to one arrang

ment — and as this professes to be a Natural

method perhaps we had better arrange our species

by it — I shall be heartily glad when we get

[page break]

141

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142

over the Raptores as it has hindered me
from getting on with the others — I have
been trying for months to shoot some hawks
in order to get the descriptions from recent
birds but in vain —
the Owls will not occupy us long as we
have only two — belonging to Strix & Flammea
— I believe there is another found about
the Lakes but I have never seen it
After the Owls we shall go on to the
fissirostral tribe of the Insessores—the
[In the old concept of Fissirostral birds, the beak is short but wide
at the gape, as in swallows, swifts, and goatsuckers, which were
united at one time on this basis, and considered a suborder of
Insessores. The Insessores was once considered an order of
“perching birds,” which included passerines and other birds such
as kingfishers and swifts.|
Swallows, goatsuckers & King fishers. — Todys
& bee Eaters — then the Dentirostres beginning
[The Dentirostres was another suborder so named because of the
“tooth” in the cutting edge of the upper mandible, in for example,
Sshrikes and many other insectiverous birds.]|
with the Shrikes, Rollers & Merulidae & —
[The Rollers are the modern family Coraciidae, which contains
the Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis of Australia. The Merulidae
is an old name for the group that now includes the thrushes.]|
If you know of any other species
than those described — let me have the
description and send me a specimen if
you have one — I must Send this on
board in the first place in case of any
thing occurring to prevent me — and
I can afterwards send the box of species [?]
Write by next trip & believe me —
Yours very truly
JG

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CORRESPONDENCE 143

[page break]

1 Falco The most perfectly organized in their
respective circles

y) Accipiter § The most conspiculously toothed; wings rounded
rather short —

3 Buteo {Wings very long; hunt upon the wing

4 Cymindis § Feet remarkably short; wings long; the upper
mandible considerably projecting.

[kite]

5 Aquila § Size large; body heavy, feet very thick

and strong, head frequently crested —

[The above enumerated list is a quote from Swainson 1836-1837,
Vol. 1, p. 291.]

This is the arrangement of Falconidae in a work

which is the most recent I believe, Viz Swainsons

“Birds” in the Cabinet Cyclopedia of Dr [?] Lardner —
[Swainson 1836-1837]

and I think better (because simpler) — than that of

Cuvier in the abridged Edition of the “Animal Kingdom”
[Cuvier 1833]

(which I have fortunately received from home the other day)

— he commences with Falco ‘as being most typical of

the whole family’, because in them we find the highest de-

velopment of that structure which is best adapted for

rapine, — their wings although not so long as in some of

the Kites and buzzards are yet more pointed — the second

and third quills being longest, and although the character

is applicable only to the typical Species, it is never

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144
so far lost sight of as to make it difficult to discriminate
between a Falcon and a hawk — — The most prevalent
distinction of the group lies in the Bill which is always

[page break]

always short, and the tooth near the tip invariably
angulated — there is great diversity in the relative length
of the lateral toes in the typical Falcon which is remark
able as being the only Subgenus in Ornithology in which
such a disproportion occurs — the Subgenera of Falco
he arranges thus —
Ist Typical Group

Falco ¢ Pre-Eminently typical; Bill acutely toothed, wings

{ pointed rather long. —

2d Subtypical Group
Harpagrus wings shorter, rounded, Tarsi with Entire

transverse scales

3 Aberrant Group
Lophotes { Feet Short; head crested, wings long.

Aviceda § Feet small very short, soles broad and flattened;
outer claw and toe shortest

Gampsonyx f Bill neither notched nor festooned, head small
feet strong —

[The above list is from Swainson 1836-1837, Vol. 1, p. 302.|

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CORRESPONDENCE 145

Type of the Falcons

Fig. lst [Figure 16]

[Figure 16. Head of a Merlin (Falco columbarius), after
Swainson 1836-1837, not found in Australia]

[page break]

Type of the Hawks
Fig 2’ [Figure 17]

TY be of tie flaw s

[Figure 17. Head of Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis)
(old name A. palumbarius), not found in Australia. This figure
is a copy from Swainson 1826-1837, Vol. 1, figure 98, p. 305.
Grant was a talented artist and the copy is an excellent one, but
is a copy, not a tracing, as is the case with all the copied fig-
ures.|

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146
The Subgenera of Accipiter are at present proposed
Ist Ictinea — 2d Accipiter, 3 Astur, 4. Haliaetus.

— of the Ist Ictinea there is only one Species known, and it

seems difficult to refer it either to Falco or Accipiter

as it partakes of the characters of each. but is more closely

allied to Accipiter and is therefore placed at present

as the first Subgenus — it has long wings and Short [illegible]

tail, the feet resemble those of Astur, and the bill is neither

altogether toothed nor festooned but as it were between the two — it is
a buzzard in its wings, an Astur in its feet and as much

of a hawk as of a falcon in its bill

Fig 3’. [Figure 18 |

[Figure 18. Head of a Plumbeous Kite ([ctinea plumbea),
which does not occur in Australia. This figure is a copy of
Swainson 1836-1837, vol. 1, figure 97, p. 304.]

2d Accipiter — Comprises the delicate Sparrow hawks which are
[Collared Sparrowhawk Accipiter cirrhocephalus in Tasmania]

distinguished from 3d Astur chiefly by their slight form — slender

and delicate tarsi the scales of which are smooth but their

divisions are scarcely perceptible in Accipiter, while in Astur

the front and back of the leg are protected by many broad but

short plates disposed transversely, and in some of the Species

as. Astur Novae Hollandiae our White hawk part of the upper
[Grey Goshawk]

half of the tarsius is clothed with feathers

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CORRESPONDENCE 147
[page break]

4
the 4th is Haliaetus which seems to connect the Hawks
with the Eagles — “Pandion” being now restricted to

the Ospreys or fishing Eagles
the feet of Haliaetus [Figure 19] resemble those of Astur
but are rather smaller in their details, both

/ —_— 4
'otltre © / Cote, LAF

[Figure 19. Head of a probable Brahminy Kite (Haliastur
indus). This drawing was copied from Swainson 1836-1837, vol. 1,
figure 99, p. 306. The figured bird is probably the Brahminy Kite
Haliastur indus (Haliastur pondicerianus is an old name for this
species), which does not occur in Tasmania.|

anterior and posterior scales are smooth but the first

are broader, and the latter appear to be composed of

but one piece, the soles of the feet are very rough, the

Nails are groved underneath, and the wings are

very long Reaching to the End of the tail, — this last
[Much of this information is from Swainson 1836-1837, vol. 1, p.
306.]

Subgenus is not yet Established, and it is thought

that another will yet be discovered — I should

therefore like very much to Examine our fishing

hawk — the Subgenus we speak of being suspected to

prey on fish — it might belong to it — more likely

than to Pandion — the proper “Osprey” —

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148

The Subgenera of Aquila are four
Pandion, Harpya, Aquila & Ibycter

The upper mandible of Pandion shows little or no indication
Either of the Acute tooth of the falcons or of the prominent
but rounder Lobe [?] of the hawks, and as we approach the
more typical Eagles, the length of the bill is augmented —

the size of the body is greater, and all indications of

[page break]

of accipitrine structure are lost —

Harpya includes also Cuvier’s genus Morphnus
Aquila is restricted to those whose wings, like
the Golden Eagle, are, more or less lengthened
the legs of this Subgenus are all more or less plumed
and in our Wedge tailed Eagle, the tarsus is
completely feathered to the toes —

Ibycter is remarkable for three characters

lst The Slight curvature of its bill, more like that
of a gallinaceous bird than that of an Eagle

2d The nakedness of the face chin and throat

3 The uncommon breadth of its fan-shaped tail

Accipitrine

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CORRESPONDENCE 149

Subgenus “Ibycter”
fig. 5 [Figure 20]

Sub genus Abyeter *

Fy ?
oF AE SS

heir, Le A Mika fre: ee ae SS tye

[Figure 20. Above is head of a Black Caracara (Daptrius ater).
Below is Polyborus sp., This figure copied from Swainson 1836-
1837, vol. 1, figure 103, p. 310. Neither bird occurs in Australia.|

The Genus “Cymindis” follows, all the Subgenera and Species of which
have as yet only been found in the warm latitudes
of America, and therefore with it we have little
to do, the Subgenera are
Polyborus, Cymindis, Elanus, Nauclerus, and
Circaetus —

this is one form
[Figure 20 below] of the bill and —

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150
this is nearly the same in the other Subgenera
it is very like the preceding in regard to weakness.

[page break]

Buteo — the Buzzard.

is the last, and I think, (notwithstanding your
remark that we have no Species of this genus
here) that the Specimen No 4 undoubtedly belongs
to it— Buteo comprises not only the Buzzards

Libr Ete.

MEAAALRRLES

[Figure 21. Head of a Northern Harrier (Circus cyaneus). The
closely related Swamp Harrier Circus approximans in Tasmania.
Figure 21 is copied from Swainson 1836-1837, vol. 1, figure 107, p.
314.]

Circus.
Hen-harrier
fig 7. [Figure 21]
but also the Kites and Harriers — in Sub.
genera, as at present known are
Buteo Milvus and Circus —
fig 7. Represents Subgenus Circus being the head of a hen harrier
which is reckoned the type of the Genus although Buteo
is the name given to it —
The hen harriers have very slender bodies and remarkably long
wings tail and legs, they have also Large Ears —
partially surrounded by a tuff of short and rather
Stiff feathers, which form a semi circle round the

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CORRESPONDENCE 151

outer portion of the head on each side, and

meet under the chin, the bill (fig 7) is comparatively
Small, unusually Elevated at the base — but very
narrow and feeble towards its outer half, now

these last two characters are peculiar to this group
and connect the Falcons with the Owls

[page break]

the tip of the bill is lengthened and very acute, while
the festoon of the upper mandible is either Entirely
wanting, or scarcely to be perceived — the legs of
these birds are remarkably long. and more resemble
those of the Sparrow hawks, but they have a very short
hind toe. of which the claw occupies one half

of the total length. the hind toe is consequently

very much Shorter than Either of the lateral ones

Buteo — the third Subgenus has the feet Short and
remarkably robust, and with the Exception of a
Short hind toe might be mistaken for those of an
Astur, the wings are very long and the tarsi feathers
halfway.

Milvus seems to differ chiefly in having the tail
forked — there are probably other Subgenera
which are not yet discovered —

Falconidae. — the falcons

this diagram shows
[Figure 22] the supposed situations
of all the Subgenera of the
Falconidae

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152

Falcorttl Ge. the faletes
AC tle/ Loe eee - "ote npagrus
o
/ or tes "
{ ent = \
| ACCYPLOER FALCO
eo
. | Jao"
Aster C f fed. af.
Da _ oe So & a A “Se om Y Fez 20
pare
Aguiten Pip Pon > (i POS
— Agel /Z,A BUTE
6 s
NS bye rer / @ M ‘ ‘by ¢ \ ;
Set g a hones 5 ‘Bn /Pa
Bas - / sly Soris, i .
gi Ore
ant 2\

# | CYMIN DIS
\
, ps ca Paria ars ie vz eds

[Figure 22. The classification system for hawks and fal-
cons of William Swainson (1836-1837). This diagram is
copied from Swainson 1836-1837, vol. 1, p. 318.]

[It appears that Grant does not fully accept the fanciful Quinary
system of Swainson and Vigors. For an explanation of the quinary
system, see Vigors (1825) and Swainson (1836-1837). For a discus-
sion of the shortcomings of the quinary system see Newton (1893-
1896; Introduction, pp. 30-35) or Walters (2003).|

[page break]

8
Genus Falco
Subgenus Aviceda
[Bazas or crested hawks are members of the Accipitridae, not
Falconidae.|

The Specimen No | would seem to belong to this Subgenus

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CORRESPONDENCE 153

the feet being comparatively Small, and the Soles broad
and flattened — the bill is certainly that of a true falcon
the wings are long and pointed. the first quill being
longer than that of the hawks, and the second although
not so long as the third, is only three lines shorter;
[A “line” is a unit of length equal to one-twelfth of an inch.|
in the recent specimens I believe they reach to the End
of the tail — the feet are very peculiar, and
different from any which I have yet noticed among
the birds of prey — they are more like those of a
gallinaceous bird — the scales 8 or 9 in no on the inner side
of the tarsus are the largest, and overlap each other transversely
— those in front are of an irregular pentagonal figure*
[The line below was vertical in the page margin. |
with five narrow imbricate Scales below
and on the External side they are so small as to give
to that part merely a reticulated appearance —
— the toes are rather short and strong, with a round
pad under Each joint — the hind toe is the shortest
but has the longest claw, the outer? toe is next to
[inner scratched out]
it in length, and in the size of its claw — the middle
[in margin: 2nd]
toe is much longer & is connected to the outer by a short
web. —

The colour of the dorsal aspect is a deep brown — varied
with spots . [sic] and small bars of a rufous or rather
reddish brown — the crown of the head has longitudinal
streaks of a very dark brown — in the centre of each feather
— the forehead is lighter — the Scapulars are dusky
the quill feathers have five or six reddish spots on

[page break]
on the outer web — beginning at the fourth, in which

they are very small, & placed near the shaft, they
gradually become more defined as they proceed

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154

backward — __ the inner web 1s of a rufous colour
with dusky bars which also increase in size as
they go backward — but in the tertials they again
diminish — the first two quill feathers are notched
near the End, and the feathers of the whole wing
are dark at the tips with a narrow margin of

light —

The tail is beautifully barred with a deep

reddish brown on a dusky almost black ground
the points are tipped like the wings with a narrow
border of light — — (not always)

[in margin: cream]
the throat breast and vent are of a nankeen colour

with a Kind of collar of the same passing backwards

on the sides of the neck & joining the Ear coverts
which are of the same with a dark streak on
Each side — there is a light streak also above
& behind the Eye —

[in margin: Front of breast just black lines]
Far [?] sides and front of the breast, the belly and thighs
are of a very dusky almost black colour — the underwing
coverts are nankeen, irregularly spotted & patched with
dusky — wings below pale rufous —
bill and feet — pale lead=colour, — Eyes dark hazel

[page break]

inches

Length from the tip of the bill to the End of the tail 18.19

(74

of the tail

“ of the longish quill feather (3d)

“ofthe nextinlength 2d _

“ of the first quill

“ of the bill from the angle of the mouth
“of the bill along its ridge

“ of the tarsus

“ofthe middle toe __

“ofits claw _

“ of the hind toe

9.
11 . lines

10. 10

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CORRESPONDENCE 155

“ of its claw 11 [?] 8/10
weight ?

I have not been able to procure a decent

Specimen, and these measurements are in

all probability far from being quite correct

which of course they ought to be —

I think we may in the meantime call this

Falco Berigora — the cream bellied falcon
[Brown Falcon Falco berigora tasmanicus, an endemic Tasmanian
subspecies]

of Latham — as the description by Vigors and

Horsfield will apply to our bird —

Falco peregrinus — of this bird I have neither
[Peregrine Falcon Falco peregrinus|

seen nor can procure a specimen, though I

believe it is to be found in the Colony — have

you seen it? or have you a specimen?

[page break]
1]

I know of no other true falcon — and Even the
one which I have thus imperfectly described
Viz the “Falco Berigora” although a falcon in
form — has more the habits of a buzzard, as
it will sit on a tree for a length of time, watching
all around & then dart on the ground, catch its
prey & return to the tree — I have generally found
crickets in the stomach and remains of snail
Shells — it is by no means a handsome bird —

Genus. Accipiter
Subgenus. Accipiter
[in margin: Doubtful] Species. Accipiter torquatus
[Collared Sparrowhawk]

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156

The Specimen No 2 — agrees accurately with the descrip-
tion of the young bird by Vigors and Horsfield
“Acc: superné cineraceo-fuscus, albido-variegatus,
“Subtus albidus, pectore fusco-lineato, abdomine fasciis
“Rufo-fuscis latis notato” —

[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 132]
The older bird is not variagated with white, and
there is no mention made of the breast being streaked
with dusky lines — the length of the male is said
to be 12 4 inches that of the female 14 4 and
this last is about the dimentions of our specimen —

[page break]
12
Genus Accipiter
Subgenus. “Astur’” —
No 5.
Astur Novae Hollandiae — White Hawk —
[Grey Goshawk]

Colour white, beak black, cere, orbits, and

feet yellow —

This seems to be the only milk white hawk known —

it is a noble bird, Cuvier in the Regne Animal’
[Cuvier 1827-1832, (1829)]

Suggests that it may be merely a white variety of

another!! but in his day few Specimens had
[Grant argued this point in print (1846b), but Cuvier was correct.
The “White Hawk” is a white color morph of the Grey Goshawk,
but only the white morph occurs in Tasmania.|

been seen — its weight is [illegible] 12 oz — the irides

are light olive with a shade of yellow — you

will find on comparison that the shape of

the bill is very like that of the Gos-hawk fig 2d

I understand that they prey a good deal on Snakes

— it is becoming a very rare bird —

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CORRESPONDENCE 157

Astur fasciatus — Specimen no 3 which I believe
[Brown Goshawk Accipiter fasciatus|
is a female, is the one figured by Dr. Richardson —

“Upper parts dusky brown; under parts white
[There are no quote marks ending this quote.|
closely marked with bands of a dusky brown, thighs
with rufous bands — beak black, quills dusky
brown above, the inner web with a rufous margin
having dusky bands — tail feathers dusky brown
above, whitish below, marked with numerous black
bands — the inner web above being rufous with dusky
bands — Length of the male 18 4 — of the female 19 1/2
from the Carpus to the fourth quill in the male 10 1/4 female 12

[page break]

13
tail of the male 8 — Female 9 — of the upper man-
dible of the Male 7/8 of the female 15/16 ; of the inferior man
dible of the male 3/4; of the female 13/16; tarsi-male 2 3/4
of the female 3 1/4 —

Gen. Buteo. — Buzzard
Subgen. Circus. _ hen harrier
[Swamp Harrier in Tasmania|
Species ??

The Specimen no 4 (not in my poss.) you will find by the preceding
discriptions [sic] must belong to the Harriers — I shot
it in Septr/36 while devouring the Eggs of the water-
hen in the swamp, I think it is this bird which
[possibly Purple Swamphen Porphyrio porphyrio|
flies over the swamps of an Evening uttering
Such loud Shrieks — I fired at one the other Evening
while in the act of doing so; but did not suceed
in bringing him down. — though excessively anxious

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158

to determine what hawk has that habit —
the slender lengthened body of this bird, the form
of its beak, its large Ears, surrounded with stiff feathers [?]
its long wings and very long legs with Short hind
toe all confirm the conjecture that it belongs to
this subfamily
Description
Upper parts dusky brown, with violet Reflections —
the feathers bordered & mottled with a lighter brown,
most apparent in the neck and head where it
assumes the Shape of streaks —
outer

[page break]

outer webs of the primaries, secondaries, and
greater wing-coverts, ash coloured with dusky bands
inner web of a dusky ash for three or four inches
at the End, the rest of a delicate buff colour,

ashy grey near the Shafts — they are marked

with three or four dusky bars — upper tail
coverts white with a reddish stripe near the tips
tail white at the base, the two centre feathers

ashy grey with a tinge of buff — the others reddish
buff, with from four to Eight narrow transverse
dusky bars — Shafts Smoky Straw colour above
white beneath —

under surface rufous with longitudinal dusky lines
there is a kind of collar of white mottled with dusky
brown behind the Ear coverts — under surface

of wings pale buff — under wing-coverts under

tail coverts and thighs bright rufous — shafts

of wing feathers of a smoky brown above, white below
bill bluish black — feet yellow — iris ! [?]

form &c [?]

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CORRESPONDENCE 159

— the bill is compressed with a rounder ridge
from the cere to the tip, is the arc of a Small circle
of about six lines radius, the cutting margin of the
upper mandible is distinctly lobed, the cere covers
about one third the ridge of the bill, and together

[page break]

15
with the lores is covered with a short down, over
which there is an arrangement of Stiff black
hairs, covering & partly concealing the nostrils and
curving over the ridge to meet those of the opposite side
Nostrils broadly open — oval, longitudinal
Wings when folded are rather more than two inches

[in margin: 3 longer in one wing]
short of the End of the tail, the 4th quill feather
is the longest, the 3d is only two lines Shorter
— the 2d which is a trifle longer than the Sth is
Eight lines Shorter than the 4th — the Ist and 6th
are nearly Equal and three inches & six lines Shorter
than the 4th — from the sixth they gradually
diminish —

the outer webs of the primaries are narrow

& the 2d 3d 4th & 5 sinuated

[bent in and out, winding]
— the inner web of
the Ist 2d 3d 4th 5th is slightly sinuated also but very
obliquely _
tail long, and rather rounded. the outer feathers
being about an inch shorter than the middle ones
thighs & tarsi are long and slender, the outer thigh
feathers Each half way Down the tarsus, the latter
is clothed anteriorly with Short close feathers for about
an inch — the rest with 14 or 15 large transverse Scales
latterly they are reticulated — and posteriorly — Nearly
Entire — the divisions being scarcely discernible —

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160
[page break]

toes Slender middle one the longest, outer and
inner of the same length when the claws are
included, that (the claw) of the inner being as large as
that of the hind one which is the shortest toe

Claws acute, channeled below. — middle claw

has a very sharp & projecting inner margin —

dried
[““Dried” means measurements are taken from dried, prepared
skins, rather than from fresh, unprepared carcasses. |

dimensions of new Specimen No 4 Circus
Considered at present a female “Harrier” | Diemenicus
[Swamp Harrier]
inches
Length from tip of bill to end of tail ys

i of the tail 9 “ 8 lines
< “longest quill (4th) ea
i “ bill from angle of mouth 1“ 5
pi “ along the ridge ls

ty of the tarsus 36
““ middle toe 2, 2

of its claw “8
hind toe 1“°4
of its claw 8
weight ?
No 6

Aquila fucosa — I have forgot, but it
[Wedge-tailed Eagle]
will come in here as much or better than Elsewhere

[end of letter]

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CORRESPONDENCE 161

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 162

162

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Pte CGE uae BO

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et s as
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- - = Zo SF
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a ” Z > el c
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CAR ei, ee ge ee Ae ee |e ar a
rf a s a
-
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> a a pati
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= 2 £ ba ee L - . a * ,: q aad a
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, “ r a
Pa A ie ” ra ra

Figure 23. Notes on the birds of Van Diemen’s Land, 20 November 1837.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 163

Notes on the
Birds of Van Diemen’s Land
by Ronald C. Gunn [Figure 23]

No. 1. Circular Head 20th Novemb. 1837

I have looked over Swainson’s arrange

-ment of the Falconidae and can see no reason to desire
[Swainson 1836-1837]

a better — they are so very natural a group that they

can hardly be disarranged, and they run no chance

of being associated with any other family — indeed

all the present sub divisions run so into one another

that it is hard to define the termination of one and

the Commencement of another, — but the nearest approach

to a Natural arrangement is assuredly the best, and I

am glad you have adopted it —

[It would be interesting, once again, to know exactly what Gunn
meant by “Natural arrangement,” as it would provide some
insight into how taxonomists dealt with similarities and dissimilar-
ities among birds in pre-Darwinian times.|

In naming the species in our possession there
will be no necessity for our possessing all the species
of the respective genera — by naming what we have
already got we will be enabled to ascertain what is
in each other’s collections — and additional species can
easily be added from time to time. — I only hope
nothing now will cause a delay in the Continuation
of your journal.

[page break]
Remarks on Specimens Nos | to 6.

No 1. Falco Berigora. Lath. (Aviceda Swains.) —.
[Brown Falcon]

163

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164

Outer toes next shorter to the hind ones — not the inner as
in your Description — and which is the Char. of the Subgenus’,
The Claws of the inner are however longer than the outer.
My specimens differ a good deal from yours in colour —
the throat and breast might be termed Cream coloured
instead of Nankeen — and the Vent white. — The front
of the breast is much lighter than yours and the centres
of the feathers have longitudinal black lines shaded off
into brown widening at the extremities of the feathers.
With reference to the Correctness of the name I can
hardly say anything as you possess Vigor & Horsfield
work on the Subject — The specific characters as published
in Cuviers work want minute points of distinction
and the colours of Hawks generally approach one
another very closely — The description in the Regne
Animal is as follows.
Falco Berigora. Vigors. Orange, speckled Hawk.
[Brown Falcon]
Reddish brown: throat & neck pale orange; quills and
Coverts brown, speckled with red; tail grey-brown, banded,
with rufous tips, New Holland. Length 10 inches.
[Cuvier (1827-1832) 1829, vol. 6, p. 29.; this is an English transla-
tion of Régne Animal. |

[page break]

I need hardly observe how widely this description differs

from our bird — both in size and markings. — One of its
[Brown Falcons are highly variable in plumage, have brown and
rufous color phases, and have marked age-related plumage differ-
ences. |

most striking individual Characters is only partially

noticed even by you and that is the two black marks

which descend on each side [of] the throat from the corners

of the mouth, the contrast of which on the white ground affords a

peculiar appearance to the bird. —

The points of the tail feathers are not always tipped

with a narrow border of light — in one of my specimens

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CORRESPONDENCE 165

it is wanting.
This species is Common at Circular Head and
is very fearless — pouncing on chickens quite close to
the house. — A specimen of mine sent for reference, & to be
returned!
[last sentence may be Grant’s handwriting]

Falco peregrinus I have not seen. —
[Peregrine Falcon]

No 2. Accipiter torquatus. Your specimen and mine
[Collared Sparrowhawk]
agree minutely — Cuviers Description 1s —
Falco torquatus. Cuv. The Collared falcon.
Ash-coloured brown; neck reddish; beneath white, banded with
red; quil and tail feathers banded with brown; length 12 in.
New Holl. Mus. Lin. Soc.
[Cuvier (1827-1832) 1829, vol. 6, p. 54]
A very vague description indeed.

[page break]

No 5 (not Nos by Grant.)
Astur Novae Hollandiae. White Hawk. —
[Grey Goshawk]
I have the colours of the irides noted as crome yellow
but is possible I may be wrong — It is not an
un[?]common species still in the wilder and more unsettled
districts — but I think [illegible] will soon become very
scarce.
Mr. D. Douglas the great Botanical Collector (for
[David Douglas]
Horticultural Socty &c) and also a zealous Ornithologist,
in his account of the Zoology of the River Columbia,
North West Coast of North America, — mentions his
seeing a pure white Hawk about the size of a

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166

Sparrow Hawk, a very active bird and in constant
[probably an albino or leucino|

pursuit of all the other birds, [?] which specimens [?] shuns

its society. —

No 3. Astur fasciatus. Agrees with the specimen in my
[Brown Goshawk|
possession.

No 4. Circus ? — 1am a little inclined to
[This bird was probably a Swamp Harrier, a species that is cur-
rently common in Tasmania. It was apparently less so in Gunn’s
time.]

doubt this being a Buzzard notwithstanding your

very excellent and well written Remarks — although it

is a species with which until now I was unacquainted

not having a specimen in my possession.

[page break]

The only book I possess is Cuvier’s large Animal Kingdom [Cuvier
1827-1832]
to which I can refer for Generic Characters,
(The abridgement is too abridged) and in the genus
Buteo — (Bechstein) & Circus of Veillot, von Bechstein) is thus
described — “Long wings; the tail feathers of equal length;
the beak bent from its base; the interval and between it and
the eyes featherless; the legs strong. Some have the tarsi
feathered to the toes. They are distinguished from the eagles
by the beak curved from the base, & from the Goshawks
by the feathered tarsi & long wings.”” —
[Cuvier (1827-1832) 1929, vol. 6, p. 60]
“Circus of Bechstein only differs from the above by having
the tarsi more elevated, & by a sort of collar which the
tips of the feathers covering the ears form on each side
of the neck.”
[Cuvier (1829-1832) 1829, vol. 6, p. 65]

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CORRESPONDENCE 167

Now to judge of your No 4 by the above Generic
Characters, and also by your own notes — I find it fails in
having the tail feathers not of equal length but in
reality [illegible] like your No 3. — The beak is certainly
not so much bent from the base as No 3 or as most of
the Genera. — The interval between the beak and the eyes is
not featherless —. The legs are not peculiarly strong — and
the tarsi are not feathered. Of the ruff of stiff feathers
I can hardly judge from the specimen — The want of

[page break]

the same books of reference prevents my pursuing this
much further — and in making the preceding Remarks
it is more with the view to drawing your attention

to the points I have mentioned than any other. —

I do not observe anything very remarkable in the
characters of the hind toe — it not being so much so as
in No 1 — and very little more than Nos 2 & 5. —

The 3d feather of one wing is longish and the other the
4th — You have adopted the latter. — Which 1s correct?
Until a better name is obtained we shall however

adopt it as of the Genus “Circus” (Bechstein) and

what specific name.? — What do you say to C. Diemenicus
Any name is better than none. — And I find they make
our Country into a specific name as above. —

I have given the White Hawk a No viz. [?] No 5 and

[Grey Goshawk|]

Aquila fuscosa may as well be called No 6 — which will
[Wedge-tailed Eagle]

close all the species of Diurnal Birds of Prey now

in our possession. — Of the Eagles I think no additional

particulars can be Communicated beyond what

has already passed between us. —

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168
[page break]

I have failed in obtaining a specimen of the
Sea Eagle. — I have seen many in the neighborhood —
[White-bellied Sea-Eagle Haliaeetus leucogaster|
I also saw it in the Tamar at Captn Hailleys [?] perched
on a tree overhanging the River, and I have seen them
in a similar situation on the Detention River. —
Dr Richardson informed me that there is a smaller
species of fishing Hawk — but I have not seen it. —
There is another small species of Hawk in this
Quarter of which I sent home two specimens, but
unfortunately retained none. — It is like a Merlin
& does not exceed 10 to 12 inches in length & I think
[probably an Australian Hobby Falco longipennis|
sometimes less — I am looking out for specimens.
I beg you will at once proceed with the owls —
and from them we shall be able to do some work [?] —
the other birds having generally more striking
individual features.

[end of letter]

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CORRESPONDENCE 169

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 170

170

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Figure 24. Remarks on the birds of Van Deimen’s Land, | January 1838.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 171

Remarks on the Birds of Van Diemen’s Land
by Ronald C. Gunn [Figure 24]

Circular Head, Ist January 1838

Your paper on “Strigidae”
& Fissirostes was most welcome.
although incomplete — it shows
the inward spirit although want
of time may prevent your doing
it that justice you would other-
-wise do. — However to the subject.
Our number of owls are too
few to make it material what
system is pursued — more parti-
cularly as we cannot err in
placing them immediately after
the Diurnal birds of Prey —
the Noctua maculata I
[Southern Boobook]
possess.
Messrs Vigors and Horsfield do
not appear to be satisfied of our

[column break]

Bird being the true Strix

flammea of Europe — and I
[Barn Owl]

must say my specimens do

not minutely agree with the

description given of that bird,

besides it would be strange if

it should prove to be identical

with an European species and

form, with the Falco peregrinis,
[Peregrine Falcon]

(of which I doubt,) the only two

171

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172

species Common to both Hemi-
spheres —, at least so far as I am
acquainted. It is more likely to
be much alike, but specifically
different — as in the Swallow,
Swift, Eagle &c.

The fullest account I possess

[page break]

of the Strix Flammea is in Wilson’s American Ornithology — a
[Barn Owl]

book justly esteemed for the Correctness of the descriptions.
“The White or Barn Owl is 14 inches long, and upwards of three
feet six inches in extent; bill is whitish horn colour, longer than
is usual among its tribe; space surrounding each eye re-
-markably concave, the radiating feathers meeting in a high
projecting ridge, arching from the bill upwards; between these
lies a thick tuft of bright tawny feathers, that are scarcely seen,
unless the ridges be separated; face, white, surrounded by a border
of narrow thickset velvety feathers, of a reddish cream colour at
the tips, fine silvery white below, & finely shafted with black;
whole upper parts, a bright tawny yellow, thickly sprinkled
with whitish & pale purple, & beautifully interspersed with
larger drops of white, each feather of the back and wing - coverts
ending in an oblong spot of white bounded by black; head

large, tumid; sides of the neck, pale yellow ochre, thinly sprinkled
with small touches of dusky; primaries & secondaries the same,
thinly barred, & thickly sprinkled with dull purplish brown;
tail two inches shorter than the tips of the wings, even, or very
slightly forked, pale yellowish, crossed with five bars of brown,
& thickly dotted with the same; whole lower parts, pure white,
thickly interspersed with small round spots of blackish; thighs,
the same; legs long, thinly covered with short white down

[page break]

nearly to the feet, which are of a dirty white, & thickly warted;

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CORRESPONDENCE 173

toes, thinly clad with white hairs; legs & feet large and clumsy;
the ridge, or shoulder of the wing is tinged with bright orange
brown. The aged bird is more white; in some the spots of
black on the breast are wanting, & the colour below, a pale yellow;
in others, a pure white.
The Female measured 15 2 inches in length & 3 8/12 feet in extent;
is much darker above; the lower parts tinged with tawny, & marked
also with some spots of black.”
[probably the Wilson 1828 edition, vol. 1, pp. 125-126]
Lathams description is not so full, but he alludes to the
edge of the middle claw being serrated.
I possess two fine specimens Male & female shot at
the same time and place, which differ in the following
particulars —

[The following description is probably of the Masked Owl, which
is similar in appearence to the Barn Owl, but Tasmanian birds are
much larger and darker. The Tasmanian form of the Masked Owl
is considered by some as a separate species 7yto castanops, ¢.g.,
Sibley and Monroe 1990, but as a subspecies 7. novaehollandiae
castanops by others, e.g., Christidis and Boles 2008. 7. novaehol-
landiae was described by Stephens (1826), and 7. castanops by
Gould (1837).|

Male 16 inches long. Female 19 inches. Face not white but of
a reddish brown; surrounded by a border of feathers black at the
tips. Upper parts dark brown to black mottled with tawny
yellow — the feathers at the back of the neck being tawny yellow
with all the extremities very dark brown, and lower down the back
the feathers become banded. — The back is interspersed with very_
minute spots of white giving it a grey appearance, a larger
spot of white, not oblong or of any regular figure being near
the extremity of each feather; — tail equal in length to the

[page break]

wings — dark brown — banded;
lower parts all tawny yellow

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174

(I have seen some white). The
shoulders are not particularly
tinged with light orange brown.
The male is a little lighter than
the female. —

I think the above differences,
joined to some smaller ones,
amply sufficient to authorize
a doubt at best of its being
identical with the White or
Barn Owl of the Northern World —
as assuredly ours possesses
no appearance to justify its
receiving the name White
Owl — Ihave had many
specimens through my hands
are they were all much alike.

I cannot at this
moment state if I ever saw
any of the other species alluded
to by you.

[column break]

P.S. Before closing the Raptores
I may as well remark that it
is my opinion your Falco
Berigora is the species said to be
[Brown Falcon]
the true Peregrine Falcon of New
Holland — to which it certainly
approaches very closely — The
[Gunn may be confusing the Brown Falcon and Peregrine Falcon.
The Brown Falcon also has a black stripe below the eye.|
most striking feature of the Peregrine
is the broad patch of black dropping
below the eye, running off like
mustaches — a point I particularly

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CORRESPONDENCE

remarked in ours. — Indeed the
description of Wilson in the
American Ornithology would
apply pretty closely to ours, but,
as with Strix flammea, I
am inclines to believe the species
are much alike, but truly differ.
What is your opinion on
this subject? — as I want your
nice discrimination in detecting
specific differences.

[page break]

Hirundo Pyrrhonota. In Cuvier there is a Paraguay species

Fissirostres

[Tree Martin]
[Cuvier lists H. pyrrhonota as from India (Cuvier 1827-1832(1829),

Vol 7(2), p. 68). Here Gunn has confused the Australian species

175

with a North American one because he relied on non-Australian

books. The species pyrrhonota is the Cliff Swallow of North

America, which migrates to South America in the non-breeding

season. The bird in question is the Tree Martin Petrochelidon

nigricans.|

under that name — not Latham’s. — My observations on their

migrations do not appear to have been correctly made;
during the early part of Septr of two years I have been
absent from Home — but my dates are about the 16th
to 10th Their departure I do not find noted.

[The Tree Martin is one of the about 20 species of Tasmanian

birds that have a pattern of at least partial migration to the main-

land.]|

Hirundo Javanica. Lath. I send a specimen of what I presume

[Welcome Swallow Hirundo neoxena| |Hirundo tahitica javanica is
a closely related Asian swallow that was named in 1789 and that

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176

Cuvier undoubtedly knew about. The very similar Welcome
Swallow was not named until 1842.|
to be this species — it is thus described in Cuvier —
“Blackish shinning blue; beneath ash; forehead, throat, & crop,
ferriginous; side tail feathers spotted white at tip.”
[Cuvier 1827-1832 (1829), Vol 7, p. 68.]
This would be too meagre a description were I not influenced
by the following remark.
“The Hirundo Javanica has been sometimes confounded with
[Welcome Swallow]
our rustica, from which, however, it differs (according to Mrs
[messrs] [Barn Swallow Hirundo rustica|
Vigors & Dr Horsfield) chiefly in its inferior size. The side
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 191]
feathers of the tail are also shorter & less slender; the frontal
band is wider, & the ferriginous colour extends over the breast,
instead of the broad black band which distinguishes ours.
It is a native to Australia as well as Java” Mr Caley in
[The birds are actually of two species, H. neoxena of Australia and
H. tahitica of Asia. George Caley sent back bird specimens from
New South Wales to England and for a brief period collected birds
in Tasmania. For a review of Caley’s ornithological work see
Whittell (1954) 1993 pp. 99-100. See also Webb (1995).]
New South Wales thus remarks their migration — “first appearance
12 July — latest period 30 May.” — I have little doubt
[Caley in Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 192]
therefore that my specimen is of this species. — For many

[page break]

years the same pair regularly returned to a nest close to

my back door in Launceston under the Veranda — and did not
appear to be at all disturbed by the increased thoroughfare
within a few feet of their nest. — It was built of mud

fixed against the perpendicular wall. — One year it was knocked
down, (much against my will,) but they built it again

next season in the old place — During my last visit to
Launceston I was sorry to perceive my old friends of six

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CORRESPONDENCE 177

years duration had been driven away & their nest removed.
They brought out two broods a year — and arrived about a
week after the other swallows. — My specimen is a young
bird. —

[It would be interesting to know how Gunn concluded that this
was the same pair returning year after year. Did they have dis-
tinctive plumage patterns? Did he mark the birds in any way? Or
did he simply assume that they were the same pair because the
nest was placed in the same place every year?|

I find you make no allusion to this species — although
you must have (I should think) remarked them. —

Cypselus, — (Chaetura. (Stephens))

Chaetura Australis. Stevens. (Hir. Caudacuta, Lath.) appears
[White-throated Needletail|

to be our swift as near as their imperfect description

will enable me to judge. It is as follows.

“Dusky tinged with shinning green; forehead and throat

white. New Holland.” — And as there are so few species
[Cuvier 1827-1832, vol. 7, p. 70]

with tail feathers ending in a point — the above may

be deemed sufficient.

[page break]

My specimen was shot on 26th Febr on some plains
near Circular Head. — I suspect their migration to be
not so strange as you imagine — but that they, as

well as the swallows were on their departure area on 26
March. — I saw them in considerable numbers flying
high in the air over my House on 3 Oct. 1837. — At
least their size led my servant at first to suppose

them Hawks — but their numbers, &c induced me to
think them Swifts. — Their usual altitude I

expect leads us to remark them seldomer than other

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178

birds. — Mr Hoblen had a fine specimen — and had
often remarked them about Killafaddy but usually
too high to be shot. — I shall look out for them
this season.
In Cuvier’s Animal Kingdom I find other
[1827-1832]
species of Swallow mentioned as inhabiting New
[Presumably Cuvier and Gunn confused swallows and swifts at
some level.|
Holland — but I cannot say I have seen any but
the three now named — One has elongated lateral tail
feathers.
[Fork-tailed Swift]
Your notes on Caprimulgidae being incomplete
I shall postpone my remarks on them to my next.

[end of letter]

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CORRESPONDENCE 179

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180

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’s Land, 15 February

Figure 25. Notes on some of the Birds of Van Diemen

1838.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 181

Notes on Some
of the Birds of Van Diemen’s Land
by Ronald C. Gunn [Figure 25]

Circular Head 15th February 1838.

In reference to Cuviers Animal Kingdom I find a
[1827-1832]
most meagre account of the Caprimulgidae. — Throughout
the whole book I complain of the want of proper
Systematic arrangement of species — and equally so of
the imperfect descriptions of each species — take for
example —
Podargus Cuvieri. [sic] “Coloured varied tints of ash, whitish
and blackish; as big as a crow.”
[Cuvier (1927-1832) 1829, vol. 7, p. 80]
Now from such a Description what can be made?
No habitat is even mentioned — in fact it will answer for
almost any specimen. I therefore depend soley on
your examination.

[Gunn once again is critical of European ornithological practices.
He is well aware of the importance of habitat and behavior in the
description of a species.]

The Podargus Cuvierii is Commonly Called in the
[Tawny Frogmouth]

Colony “More-Pork” from its peculiar note very closely
resembling these words — and many humorous anecdotes
[This is a mistaken belief, still held today by some. The “More-

Pork” is actually the call of the Southern Boobook.|
are told of frights sustained by parties in search of
land &c in the early days of the colony from this bird.
Bush ranging at the time lending its terrors to a
night in the bush. — A Martley [?] Justice of the Peace

[page break]

181

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182

and once a Captain H. M. Army is said not many

years ago to have beat a retreat from our “Nocturnal
disturber” whilst in search of runaways. — I shot one
recently at Circular Head in the day time — it had been
disturbed by my firing and flew a short distance pursued
by some smaller birds. — I am not aware of anything
remarkable in its habits beyond others of the family —
The Podargi do not possess pectinated claw.

Aegotheles albo-gularis. Of this species I have seen

[Australian Owlet-nightjar]

so few specimens that I can add little to your

stock of information — A fine specimen was picked

up a few weeks ago on the road down to Mr Bickfords
lying dead and uninjured on the ground. It was however
utterly destroyed by an attempt being made to skin it

by one who could not. It appears to be a remarkable
Circumstance that specimens of these birds & others

of the family should be found dead — As you mention
with reference to the specimen of the true Goatsucker. —
How can you account for it? — May it arise from
injuries sustained in flying during the day (when
disturbed) from their imperfect vision? — Or is it likely
the powerful sun’s rays reaching them in some exposed
place during this season would kill them? Let me

[page break]

hear any opinions you have formed on the subject.
Of the habits of A. albogularis I know Nothing.

Having now gone through a certain portion of
our labours I subjoin a list of species described
by us — or at least the names of which have been
to a certain extent ascertained.
Falconidae (Raptores.)
1. Falco Berigora? [word unintelligible] [Brown Falcon]

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CORRESPONDENCE 183

2. Accipiter Torquatus [Collared Sparrowhawk]

6 Aquila fuscosa [Wedge-tailed Eagle] Fissirostes Contd

5 Astur Nova Hollandiae [Grey Goshawk] -

3 Astur fasciatus [Brown Goshawk] Caprimulgidae

4 Circus Diemenicus ? [Swamp Harrier] Agotheles albogularis

[Australian Owlet-nightjar]
7 Falco (To be added.) Podargus Cuvier
[Tawny Frogmouth]

Strigidae

Noctua maculata [Southern Boobook] Making 13 species. — not

Strix, (non-flammea.) [Masked Owl?] incld Falco now sent.
Fissirostres.

Hirundinae

Hirundo Pyrrhonota [Tree Martin]
“ Javanica. [Welcome Swallow]
Chaetura Australis. [White-throated Needletail]

[page break]

Addenda.
I send a specimen of the small species of Falco
to which I alluded in my earlier Nos. and of
which I had retained no specimen. It was shot
during my absence at Launceston.

You will perceive that it is a true Falcon — having the
Second quill feather the longest. — The Iris is a dark
brown. — A specimen shot some time ago at
Woolnorth was sitting on the extremity of the dead
branch of a high tree. — Dr Richardson calls it a
Merlin or Hobby — But I hardly see good causes for

[Australian Hobby]
adopting English names to our V.D.L. species thereby
confounding them with those of Europe. — why not say
Berigora Falcon? — Banded Hawk? — Spotted Owl? &c

Send me the names in your next & any particulars
from Vigors & Horsfield. I see no account of it in

[1827]
Cuvier. —

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 184

184

[1827-1832]
By the Bye I do not remember if I mentioned that
the F. Berigora of Vigors is described in Cuvier as
“Length 10 inches.” — And F. Peregrinus as having
the feet & Cere of the beak sometimes blue & sometimes
yellowish.

[page break]

Since writing the preceding part of this Communication
I have obtained another specimen of the small Falcon
now sent — and which I request you to name —

I have been fortunate in obtaining another
species of Falcon, but I think not the true
Peregrine yet — It is a male, length 15 inches — and

[Peregrine Falcon? |

very similar in general colour and markings to the
small specimen now sent — it is a very handsome bird.
The legs are yellow and very short — the arrangement of
the Scales on the tarsi differs from the small species —
The Skin is not yet dry enough to send you but I will
do so by next opportunity. Possessing as you do the
Only work on the subject, I do not venture on
attempting to ascertain the species.

[end of letter]

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CORRESPONDENCE 185

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Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 186
186
of

—P—

on Zire, “7 UuLUOl JOIN UY) Uri * wien dyfo 7ZBIZ

Figure 26. Birds of Van Diemen’s land, 30 May 1838.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 187

[What follows is a document apparently written by James Grant
dated May 30 1938. The first 2 ‘2 pages (five columns) are in an
unknown hand, with beautiful handwriting, small in size and in
perfect lines. The remaining 5 4 pages (11 columns) are in Grant’s
typical bold but difficult handwriting. Perhaps Grant had some-
one else transcribe the first part of this document from his hand-
written text.|

continued from Our last

on
The Birds of Van Diemans Land [Figure 26]
May 30 1838
Dedicated to the Ornithological Journal.. Edited by
Light of the North J Grant

— King — Fishers —

I am not aware that we have any
of the genera of the family Halcyonidae
with the exception of Ceyx, the three toed
King Fisher, and I believe we posses
but one species, the “C Azurea” [?] it is thus
[Azure Kingfisher]
described by Latham
“Cd Saturati Azurea Corpore Subtus, Lorisque
flavescentibus, lateribus. colli macula — .
obliqua alba”
[Vigors and Horsefield 1827, p. 208]
Lyn. Alcedo Azurea: Lath. Ind.Ov [?].n.
Alcedo Azurea Swains Zool:
— it is a very shy bird and never about [?]
this part of the Country. I have seen only
one or two speciemns
The Bee Eaters “Meropitae” seem to be
entirely unknown in this Country, although

187

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 188

188
they occur in New. South Wales

[This is correct. the Rainbow Bee-eater Merops ornatus is found on
the mainland but not in Tasmania.|

— Shrikes —

Tribe. Dentirostres Cuv.

Fam: Lanidae

Subfam: Dicrurina Swains

Gen: Artamus Vieill

Species Artam. Albovittatus — Vig:
[Dusky Woodswallow Artamus cyanopterus|

Ocypterus. albovittatus Valen :

[“Valen” is an abbreviation of A. Valenciennes, assistant in the
Paris Museum, who coined the name Ocypterus albovittatus.|

The bill of this bird is blue with a black

tip — it is our Swallow Shrike, there is

[column break]

only one species in this Colony — so far as

I have hitherto observed — in its flight,

it resembles the Swallow, but alights . —..

frequently on stumps and the dead limbs

of trees shooting out with an easy swim-

-ming flight, making short curves [?] and

returning again to the perch, they are

migratory and leave this Country and

return about the same time as the Swallows,

being away from about the end of March

to the 17th or 18th of September, however

Mr Caley in his notes, says — “I do not think

them migratory” and possibly they may
[Caley in Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 211]

remain all the year round, in warmer

Latitudes, where their food is always

abundant. — The young bird is of an

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CORRESPONDENCE 189

ashy grey on the upper parts
Subfam Thamnophilina Sws.
Genus Vanga Vieill
V. Destructor Vig & Horsf

[Grey Butcherbird]
V. Supra Cinereo fuscus, subtus albidus
capite, genis, remigibus rectricibusque,
nigris; illis albo-strigatis, his apice albo-
marginatis.

[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 213]
This bird is here called the Laughing
Jackass. being in Sydney the same

[page break]

name is applied to a very different
bird — the gigantic King fisher Dacelo
gigantea

[Laughing Kookaburra]

The Vanga is a solitary bird or at
least associated only with its mate
they seem to keep to the same beat [?] as
we Know several pairs which frequent
the same spot year after year, they
generally sit on tall trees at some dis-
-tance from each other and Keep up a
continual call and response which is
very musical, during the breeding Season
they are very noisey
I find that Mr. Gould has described under

this Genus a bird which Vigors and
Horsfield, have placed in the Genus
Cracticus
Vanga negrogularis of Gould cracticus
varius of Vigors being synonimous

[Pied Butcherbird (Cracticus nigrogularis)|
in the absence of specimens we
must leave this point for the present

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 190

190

undetermined
Genus Colluricincla

Species — Coll. Cinerea
[Grey Shrike-thrush]

This bird in its general appearence

resembles both the Shrike and Thrush, and indeed

its name is derived from KoAAvpim@v

a Shrike & XtyyAoc a thrush — the

form of the bill is however more that

of the Shrike and it is accordingly

placed in that family — I have seen it

tearing up the dead bark on the limbs

of the Gum tree to get at the insects
[Grey Shrike-thrushes forage more on bark in Tasmania than they
do on the mainland. This is presumably a response to the absence
of the mainland bark-foraging guild of birds in Tasmania (e.g.,
treecreepers and sittellas).]

[column break]

concealed beneath for which its strong
compressed form is admirbaly adapted
while thus employed it occasionally
hangs from the under surface of the
branches in the manner of the Meliphagidae
Subfam. Campephagina Cuv
Grauculus Melanops “Vig
Corvus Melanops Lath
Cablepyris [?] melanops Femin.
Rollier 4 Masque Noir Le Vail.
This is our summer bird. Mr. Caley does
[Black-faced Cuckoo-shrike Coracina novaehollandiae|
not consider it migratory but with
us it is probably so, as I do not recollect
to have seen them during the winter
the male and female are exactly alike
— Thrushes —
Fam. Merulidae

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CORRESPONDENCE 191

Subfam Merulinae [?]
Genus Turdus Sin Vig & Hors
Species Turdus Varius
[Bassian Thrush]
This is rather a rare bird found only
in wild deep creeks and gullies it
lives on the ground and probably feeds
on Helices the bill is a good deal
[snails]
like that of Colluricincla. but rather
stronger and not so much compressed
at the base, — it differs essentially
—however in the form both of the wings
and feet, the latter being comparatively
weak, formed for running on the ground
the strong hallux of the Shrike family
being awanting

[page break]

Subfamily Cossyphina

Genus Cinclosoma

Cinclosoma punctatum “Vig

Turdus punctatus Lath: Index
[Spotted Quail-thrush] [Latham (1790)]

Punctated Thrush Lath: Gen. Hist

This is our common ground thrush or ground

dove as some eroneously call it. a

very handsome bird and common

enough in this neighbourhood

— Warblers —

Fam Sylvidae

Genus Malurus_ Voli

Malurus Cyaneus_ Vigors
[Superb Fairy-wren]

Motacilla cyanea Gmel

Sylvia Cyanea Lath Ind. Or
[Latham (1790)|

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192

Superb Warbler. Phillips Bot. Bay

Our beautiful little blue Warbler

we have only one species that I am

aware of they seem to be gregarious and

probably polygamus as they are found

in little troops of five or six there being

only one and rarely two blue or cock birds

in the number. Mr Caley states this in

his notes, and is of [the] opinion that they

are probably only the young of the year. this
[Caley in Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 221]

requires observation and I think I have

seen some of these little brown birds

with a few blue feathers, but by shooting

the whole troop and disecting them this

point might be readily ascertained

[Grant barely scratches the surface of this interesting species.
Superb Fairy-wrens are territorial, cooperatively breeding, social-
ly monogamous but sexually promiscous birds (Rowley and
Russell 1997). The young remain in the group until the females
disperse, the young males remaining for a year or more, becoming
helpers that help defend the territory and feed the young.|

[column break]

[In Grant’s normal handwriting]
Genus Acanthiza Vigors
Rostrum gracile, breve, rectum, basi
[missing line in letter: depressum, apice compressum]
[sub] depressum, culmine apicem versus
leviter arcuato; mandibula superiori sub-
Emarginata; naribus linearibus, longitudin-
-alibus, supra membrana tectis, setis
plumulisque partim opertis; rietu
setis parce instructo.

Alae subbreves, rotundatae; remge

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CORRESPONDENCE 193

prima brevi, secunda et tertia gra
datim longioribus, quarta longissma
secunda et decima aequalibus.

Pedes graciles, acrotarsiis paratarsiisque

integris

Cauda mediocris, apice subrotundata
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 224]

I have transcribed from
Vigors and Horsfield the generic
characters of this group, as it may
not perhaps be found in other work
—the typical species they consider
tobe Acanth. Pusilla
[Brown Thornbill]

Ac. fusco-brunnea, fronte fulvo-variegata,
subtus albida, gutture pectoreque
fusco-striatis, uropygio rufescente,
rectricibus in medio fusco-fasciatis,
apice pallido.
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 227]

Synon. Motacilla pusilla. White

Dwarf warbler. Latham.

The weight of one now before me
is 109 grains I believe that it is
the smallest bird in the country —
— the iris is a blood red —

[pagebreak|

The little yellow rump seems to be
[Yellow-rumped Thornbill]
long to this genus the form of its bill
and feet being similar — but in the
wing there is a slight difference, and

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194

I have on that account some doubt

as to its proper place, — I cannot

find it described — suppose we

in the mean time give it a name

from its yellow tail —

[what follows appears to be Grant’s own description in Latin]

Acanthiza flavicerca! [?]

Ac. supra viridescenti-grisea, subtus

hallide fulva, fronti nigra, maculis

albis notata, taenia superciliari albida

uropygio, caudaeque basi, sulphureo-flavo,

hae medio nigra, apice pallida.
Alae rotundatae, remige prima brevey [?]

secunda duplo longiori, tertia, quarta

quinta, et dextra, feré aqualibus longissi

mis; secunda, nona, et decimaquoque,

Aequalibus — irides albidae.

Rostrum. Pedesque nigres

Longitudo Corporis - - - --------- 4 6/10
“ Alae a carpo and \ _ 23/10
remigem quartam
si adremigem primam /?/_ 1
‘ Rostri a fronte......... 7/20
i “a [illegible] ..... 8/20
7 AUST pre 5S. cMlectine wr lle ord 15/20

The difference in the wing to which
I have alluded, consists in its greater
length —, and
also in the relative proportion between
the first and second quills — in the
present species the second is twice the

[column break]
length of the first while in the former

“A. pusilla” the difference is not so great
— the tail too is broader, and almost

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CORRESPONDENCE 195

even —
Still these I should conceive

are not sufficient to constitute Generic

distinctions and the leading characters

being so much alike we may safely

let this species rest here for the present.

[The following list is in Gunn’s handwriting]

Ceyx Azurea
[Azure Kingfisher]
Ocypterus albovittatus
[Dusky Woodswallow]
Vanga destructor
[Grey Butcherbird]
Colluricincla Cinerea
[Grey Shrike-thrush]
Turdus varius
[Bassian Thrush]
Cinclosoma punctata
[Spotted Quail-thrush]
Malurus Cyaneus
[Superb Fairy-wren]
Acanthiza pusilla
[Brown Thornbill]
flavicera

added by me

Vanga Cinerea Campbell Town sp.

[possibly an immature Grey Butcherbird]
My No. 32

Malurus gularis suggests

[Southern Emu-wren|
Acanthiza flavicerca supposed

[Yellow-rumped Thornbill]

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196

to be A Reguloides of V.&H.
[Buff-rumped Thornbill] [Vigors and Horsefield 1827, p. 226]

[page break]

[continues in Grant’s hand]
Supplimintary [sic]
Falconidae:

We have several species

of true falcons to add

to those already mentioned

No 1. is a very fine bird

which you received from

Mr Robinson the only other
Specimen which I have seen
was in the posession of the
Revd Mr Garrett of Bothwell
it is evidently Exceedingly rare
Mr. G. stated that it struck

a pigeon when at full flight
with the utmost force &

its powers of flight must
indeed be great as it is

a perfect model of strength
and swiftness it is by

far the noblest of the Falcon
family which I have yet

had an opportunity of inspecting

Falco Cinerea
A
[From the following description, this bird was probably a Peregrine
Falcon. |

Head neck cheeks and sides

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CORRESPONDENCE 197

of the throat black; upper parts
dusky, the feathers bordered with
ashy-grey obscure about the shoul
ders — more marked and of a lighter
Shade towards the tail — the

[column break]

latter alternately marked with
grey and black transverse
wavy bands & tipped slightly
with pale — quills dusky grey
with reddish grey bands —
chin throat and breast of a
nankeen colour. Narrow above
broader on the sides of the neck
and breast the feathers on the
latter slightly margined with white & marked here
and there with little streaks and
spots of black in the centre —
Under parts ashy-grey with a
reddish tinge Extending from the tawny
[pale orange-brown|
colours of the breast along the abdomen
& beautifully marked with black
bands — thighs striped with black
and grey the loose feathers reaching
to the toes — Cere & feet yellow
bill bluish black — yellow band
on base of upper & under Man
dible.

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198
Dimenions
Total Length....... -------- 18
Bill along curve 1 3/10
“from rictus 1 3/10
Wing from carpal joint \ 3
to 1st quill
Od quite ol Sheet, Bay 13 4/10
cme Gs SrtA Tween! 13
Ae Pe xe 8 dee Sed 12 3/10
[page break]
Tarsus - ----------------- 2 1/10
Middle toe. ------ 2 1/10
“its claw - - - - - 8/10
hind toe --------- 9/10
“its claw --- - - 9/10
inner toe -------- 1 3/10
“its claw - - - -17/20
outer toe -------- 1 11/20
“its claw - - - -15/20
in these measurement the quills
are from the joint between the carpus
and radius — the claws are not measured
along the curve but the compasses
were placed thus
[Figure 27]

dt ’
| fee Wie ce GIA ALUL. PALA eee
| Ate foope~ Hs pore petece— fe. Caceficed
jon tadins phe clawwe Are (2 Great ro
A flax (apo f ACE 7
La? 3 = fa

[Figure 27. Figure of claw measurement. |

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CORRESPONDENCE 199
Falco....?

[From the following description, this bird was probably a
Peregrine Falcon. Based on differences in size from the previous
bird, this was probably a male and the other bird a female. The
plumage description suggests that this was a young bird, further
accentuating the differences.|

Head cheeks ear coverts and
Submaxilla dusky black

black shoulders and wings of the
same running into grey towards

the tail. these feathers all tipped
with a delicate border of brown
Very minute above border as

they descend until the wing feathers
become borderd with a pale

brown — almost white

tail dusky tipped with dirty white the side of feathers
marked with rufous, those in the
centre with grey bands....

Chin throat and breast of a Nankeen
passing into rufous on the belly
Extending on the sides of the neck

[column break]

behind the Ear coverts, and
in a narrow mottled band
across the nape

lower neck and breast marked
with streaks of dusky brown
becoming on the belly of a
darker colour & small
semilunar forms

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM pe 200

200

thighs rufous with black bands

Cere & feet yellow —

bill bluish black — yellowish mark

at base of both Mandibles.

Total Length

first quill. from carpus
Second“ “ *
third (x4 (x4 66
Bill along curve
“from gape

Tarsus

Middle toe -----------

6G (74

lind-tee: = ossecese oe 3s

(74 (74

inner toe ------------

its claw
outer toe
claw

so provisionally —

[page break]

Falco

there seems to be such a
marked similarity in the form
of this and the preceding

falcon that there 1s some

reason to consider the latter

as the male. the former the
female — and we had better
perhaps let them remain

15 3/10
11 2/10
11 5/10
11 2/10

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CORRESPONDENCE 201

[From the following description, this bird was probably an
Australian Hobby.|

Wings and upper parts dusky
Black tinged with grey — head
cheeks and submaxillaty stripe
black, a few pale feathers above
and in front of Eye —

Chin throat and sides of neck
whitish, the shafts faintly streaked
with blackish brown; lower
breast and belly mottled with
ferruginous & dusky spots
and streaks — thighs rufous
Shafts dark —
quills dusky. with rufous spots
and bars; side feathers of tail
dusky with rufous bands, middle
feathers ashy with lighter
spots and bars
Bill bluish
Cere and feet yellow

Dimensions

Total Length ------------- 13 2/10
Extent of wing ------------- 31

/ first-quill +< pac ac AcACAcace oH 8
Second & third ----------- 8 3/10
Length of tail -- ----------- 6 2/10

‘ Bill from gape ------------ 19/20
along ridge --------------- 9/10
width at rictus -------------- l
Tibit (bone) - ------------- 2 6/10
Tarsus - ----------------- 1 6/10
Middle toe ----------- 1 4/10 claw 5/10
inner toe - ---------------- 9/10

its claw --------------- 5/10

outer toe -------------- 1 claw 9/20

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 202

202
[column break]

Falco
C_ variety A

[From the following description, this bird was probably a male
Australian Hobby.|

The only difference between this
and the last consists merely
in size. the total length of
the present specimen being only
(11) eleven inches — the markings
are similar. but on the back
the smallest is browner, not so
tinged with ash as the larger
— they may probably be male
& female. and like the
proceding pair A & B. we shall
for the present consider them
in that relation —

[It is possible that the “female” was a young bird.|

Accipiter. ?
O

I should consider Specimen O as
a true hawk — the bulk of the body
is not so great as that of the
Goshawk — (Astur) — the lobe is
nearer the middle of the bill and
the hind toe is shorter than the
inner one — Still these Genera
are so closely connected that it is
difficult to determine sometimes
to which of them a bird

belongs — I have Subjoined the

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CORRESPONDENCE 203
[page break]

discription [sic] of this bird but
we must endeavour to procure
Some more Specimens as I
rather think that it is a young
bird — or at least in a state of
Moulting —

Upper parts variagated with dusky,

brown and black; under parts

banded with alternate transverse

narrow bars of white dusky and darkish
[Although Grant does not mention moult, the description suggests
a bird moulting from juvenile to adult plumage.|

brown — throat faintly banded

with dusky grey — thighs with rufous

& white bars — middle tail feathers

ashy grey those in the middle of

a brownish grey — all marked

with transverse sooty brown bars

Total Length 19 4/10
[The length is consistent with a female Brown Goshawk, and the
above description suggests a first-year bird.|

Ist quill ---------------- 8 2/10
OA ard ore ard aha Salons catetwie 8 7/10
3 Pe ee ese 11 3/10
Fi 8 | ty ada Swe Se ones ob Abe Ren ete 11 5/10
Sa egg a gE Mg he Bok, BTL 10 3/10
fai ein Fae a Sa ae 10
TAESUS: <= si 3i= ois a tape sate tape tates 3 2/10
hind toe ----------------- 19/20
ce Fe AEs a. mhw: aces ecw agp ae 19/20
inner (Oe <= <= teeaer epee 1 1/10
66 © cla os SSeS SS. etd 9/10
mid. toe ---------------- 1 15/20
66 Ge claw -------- eH ee 15/20
Outer 10€. == =< 4 - - 2 1 3/10

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 204

204
66 6 claw -------- ee ee 6/10
Bill from gape - ----------- ee
along ridge Bad Shes il les eel eal 1 2/10

[column break]

Buteo. = Buzzard

Specimen @ is a true buzzard

[There are no “Buzzards,” genus Buteo in Australia. However,
Gunn and Grant considered Circus to be a subgenus of Buteo; the
description below best fits a Swamp Harrier.|

which I received from

Mr Robinson & the only

one which I have yet seen

it was shot in a swamp

at Formosa. they are said
[““Formosa” is the name of one of the Lawrence family properties
near Cressy, northern Tasmania.|

to prey on frogs and

the eggs of birds — the one

now before us had several

of the former in his crop

—upper parts dark Shining
brown. rump tawny, tail tipped
slightly with dirty white — under
parts sooty brown — thighs reddish
brown — inner webs of wing
feathers on under surface

white tinged with red, and
margines with grey.

outer tail feathers with reddish
markings — tarsus long — slender
hind toe shorter than the inner
mottled semi-circle on nape of neck

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CORRESPONDENCE 205
pale red & dusky —
Length. 20
from shoulder
to 1st quill 13 6/10 Tarsus 4
2d “ do [?] 16 5/20 mid. toe 1 8/10
3 17 “claw 9/10
4 16 9/10 in. toe l
5 13 6/10 “claw 1
hind toe 9/10
claw do [?] 1
out. toe 1 3/10

“ “claw = 8/20
[written sideways in margin: Bill from gape 1 1/2
“along ridge 1 1/2
Depth at base 9/20]

[end of letter]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 206

206

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Figure 28. Notes on the birds of Van Diemen’s Land, 26 June 1838.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 207

[Letter from Gunn to Grant]

Notes
On the Birds of Van Diemen’s Land
Circular Head 26 June 1838. [Figure 28]

Your truly invaluable Ornithological journal has been
perused with much interest — and all the birds therein
described and named have been identified.
Ceyx azurea — Common on our rivers here. — Nest unknown.
[Azure Kingfisher]
Artamus albovittatus. Not very common here — and extremely
[Dusky Woodswallow]
rare the last season.
Vanga destructor. My specimens are very much browner
than described by Gould — being indeed brown where
[Grey Butcherbird; Gunn’s specimens were probably immature
birds.|
he described it as black. — It is however easily
recognized.
Vanga cinerea. This species is entirely omitted by you
although a Native of V.D.L. & a specimen sent you
by me about Nov. 1836!!! to look at. I found
it common about Campbell Town. It differs
from my specimens of V. destructor in being quite
black on the head. — the rump more obviously white —
the tail black — the feathers largely tipped with white
on their inner webs. — The two specimens approach

[Gunn is describing an adult Grey Butcherbied. The Grey
Butcherbird of Tasmania is an endemic subspecies Cracticus
torquatus cinereus that is larger and darker than the southeastern
mainland subspecies C. ¢. torquatus. It appears that Gunn consid-
ered them separate species, or is considering browner immature
birds as a separate species.|

207

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208
[page break]

very closely indeed in Gould’s descriptions — but I
thought them distinct many years ago & sent them home
under seperate Numbers. — Look out for specimens.
Colluricincla cinerea. Common at Circular head &
[Grey Shrike-thrush]
in the District generally.
Turdus varius. | very common in the densely shaded
[Bassian Thrush]
Forests near the Hampshire Hills — where perpetual
darkness or twilight reigns — and the only surface
vegetation — Cryptogamids. At Circular head in
the Winter & Spring Months when their food is to
be procured in the thickets (Colonially Serribs [?]) we
find them pretty near — and at that season they visit
Mr. Curr’s Shrubberies; — in the Summer however they
appear to retire to the damper and more shaded
thickets & forests. I see no difference in the markings
of the sexes.
Cinclosoma punctata. You are I presume aware of the
[Spotted Quail-thrush]
differences in colour between Male and Female of
this species — which is more striking than in
Many other of our birds. — It is a very pretty bird.
Malurus cyaneus. I am inclined to think the little troops
[Superb Fairy-wren]
of these birds consist of a Male, Female, and
brood of the Season, as I have often obtained

[page break]

Males wholly brown, and others changing their
more somber livery for the gay blue adult dress.
Acanthiza pusilla. Not Common at Circular Head. —
[Brown Thornbill]
I think the weight of a specimen of “Malurus
gularis” would be less. — By the bye in what part

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CORRESPONDENCE 209

[Southern Emu-wren|

of Vigors and Horsfields system does the little Malurus

above alluded to (Our Emu Wren) come in? I should

have supposed, if still retained in that genus, that you

would have inserted it with the M. cyaneus. — Refer.

Acanthiza flavicerca. (Grant.) will I think be found to be
[Yellow-rumped Thornbill]
Acanthiza Reguloides of Vigors & Horsfield. — Refer, — It is

[The Yellow-rumped Thornbill is again confused with the Buff-
rumped Thornbill.|

thus described in Cuvier — but of Course, as with

every other species — imperfectly.

“Olive green above; beneath yellowish; white forehead; front

of occiput ferrugineous; rump and base and tip of tail

fulvous yellow; middle black; length 3 % inches. Nov. Holl”.
[Cuvier (1827-1832) 1829, vol. 6, p. 471]

The above description agrees as closely as possible

presuming as we may that their, perhaps solitary,

specimen has not in all things like the Majority.

This species does not exist at Circular Head nor

have I seen it anywhere in the Neighborhood. —

I wish you could obtain me a few specimens as

they are abundant near Launceston.

[page break]

Having now by dint of indefatigable exertion in the
space of two years got through somewhat less than
the eighth part of the Birds of Van Diemen’s Land —
we may hope that in the course of fourteen years
more we may by strenuous efforts get through the
Classification and naming of the other Seven-eighths —
This is encouraging as it clearly points out — when we
May terminate if we wish — do not therefore flag —
but like the Barber of Gottingen shaving the Devil —
brush away — brush away — brush away. —

From time to time we shall be enabled to dovetail

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210

into the Series any odd species we may kick up

& it is possible by & bye — when attention is drawn
to the Subject — that occasional New Holland Birds
will be blown across, fished up & added to our
Tasmanian Fauna.

By the bye you have a most injurious habit

of removing the Wrapers in which my specimens

are sent to you — and on which are marked the

Sexes — &c — In the very last Case you have returned
me two of my specimens minus the said envelopes, and
I cannot therefore now tell the sexes — and their value
is most considerably diminished.

[page break]
Supplementary
Falconidae

Having been able to examine several specimens since
I left Launceston, I am enabled to make a few
remarks on the specimens last examined by you.
Falco cinerea. A & B. I have no doubt now that your
opinion as to these being Male & Female is correct —
I obtained a beautiful specimen of a Male agreeing
in size with the specimen B (also a Male) but marked
more like Mr Robertson’s specimen — it in fact connected
the two Completely — and I therefore think the specimen
you saw was a young bird. — I am inclined to think
this is the Falco peregrinus described by Vigors and Horsfield —
[Peregrine Falcon]
& the description tallies very well — both with Wilson &
Richardson’s North American Fauna.
[Richardson 1832]
Falco C.& var A. I also feel satisfied that your
opinion with reference to these is correct — & that they
also are Male & female. — I have not been able to
procure any additional specimens — but I think

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CORRESPONDENCE ZV

there can be little doubt upon the subject. — Why
did you not give it a name?

[page break]

The examination of a beautiful specimen shot at
Woolnorth, (but I regret to say not in my possession)
somewhat similar to the One marked by you Accipiter?

[p. 202]
leads me to believe that it is the adult state of
Astur fasciatus. The Woolnorth specimen is sooty
[Brown Goshawk|
black in the back — the breast very red cinnamon
colour with very indistinct whitish transverse bands
which become more distinct — & the colours lighter towards
the vent. At this Age the bird appears to be wholly
black above, and almost red below —

The very young birds of your Astur fasciatus having
the round dark spots on the breast — inclines me to
think the present state the adult — if indeed it proves
not to be a distinct species — to which however I am
not anxious to lead — as it agrees so well in size,
bill — feet — irides — wings & tail — so that for a time
at least, until more specimens are obtained, I should
propose that the Accipiter? last examined be
considered as the adult state of Astur fasciatus.

P.S. — Further examination has shaken the above opinion —
but I cannot yet prove it to be distinct.
[This sentence was later inserted between lines and may be in
Grant’s handwriting. |

Of the Buteo I can say nothing beyond remarking
that to me it is New — & distinct from anything I

poOSsess.

[page break]

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212

I have been fortunate during the past week
in seeing two specimens of the Fish Eagle — One
[White-bellied Sea-Eagle]
of which I obtained — the other is in the possession
of a pseudo-scientific chap down here — who knows
sufficiently about Ornithology & Britain that a Roast duck
if young and tender, eats uncommonly well with
green peas.
(specimen not in poss.)

This Eagle is a Large Bird measuring 34 inches
in length from the end of the Bill to the tip of the tail —
& 7 feet from tip to tip of the wings when stretched
out. — Colour. Crown of head grey — feathers being brown
ending in white tips. — Back — very dark brown to black,
the feathers ending, as on the head, in fine white tips, — the
Colors gradually whitening to the tail — which is white —
but slightly marked with brown near the tip giving it a
grey appearence. Shoulders black, with the ends of the
feathers white — and the wings gradually darker until
they become sooty black at the extremities. Throat a
dirty white deepening on the breast to a dark brown with
the ends of the feathers white. Belly & thighs nankeen &
brown mixed. — Under side of Wings Nankeen Colour — with a
large spot of white on the under side of the primaries
but not visible on top of wing. — Vent & under tail white.

[This description suggests that the specimen was a first-year bird.|

[page break]

Bill and cere dark horn colour to pale black — the
bill longer and more slender than in Aquila fuscosa,
[Wedge-tailed Eagle]
Irides — brown. — Tarsi - white. — Claws — black.
Length of Bill measured along the curve from the feathers 2 4/12 in.
ei . from corner of mouth to tip 2 5/12 “
3rd quill feather the longest — & 25 inches from bend of wing.
2nd “ “shorter than the 3rd by 1 2/12 inch.
lst; “ " “by 44/12 [?] “
[Note that they counted primary feathers from the outside in

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CORRESPONDENCE 213

rather than from the inside (wrist) out, as is the common practice
today.|
4th “ . ‘ “ by 0 2/12 in.
Length of tail about 14 inches — 12 tail feathers graduated —
the 4 middle Ones about a length — but the Outside Ones 3 inches
shorter than the middle 4. — rest in proportion.

8 to 9 broad plates on front of tarsus — in. Straight
12 plates on middle toe. - length of claws by Curve 1 2/12 1 2/12
5 “ “ inner toe . 2 - 15/12
7 “ © Quter toe c “1 4/12 - 0 11/12
4 <“ “hind toe 7 . 2 - 15/12.

The length of the Claws - called straight - is with the compasses. -
thus — [Figure 29].

AA
Aa joo Zz ee = pe L Livny

\
bs

[Figure 29. Figure of how a claw is measured with a compass.|

— The soles of the feet are as described in other

fish Eagles. — The feathers reach a little below the knee
infront. — Feet strong. — The wings when folded reach to
within almost half an inch of the extremity of the tail.

[added comment in what appears to be Grant’s handwriting:
[illegible] my specimen is a female — a little smaller than the
above, & different in Colour in some points. I think an older bird
than the above. This not yet measured [illegible]]

[end of letter]

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214

Fea a! a4 oe F

feof toog ba Sesugiie 0? ¥OGs ae desi Jr

or FO
ee L4Y “e KY ooo Cid ip

| / ootzy art hWOY) bayvm 2 4

GROUT L apthyon 74 ae bis va iP
- 7 Ty) + V ~

Wah sermon Fayre vere tte CIs (ons oy}

7 away Te tomy werege “area NF u
\ | ane ad AQ ™ a a i a7 fleet) rn)
ag

ae ‘gobs Swengravegie og agg 7) PCA TY gO

B
perp y eyo
|

| tidy ahs TID 7 nfo ee PVH — Suey, Sa ie) af
| wns rls Y CHD Vy "4 5 Sk ale a

WoW L) _ Pp ge a:
. PP ELl “of
Pht eg:

§
BQ? , Cay £3 ins fe

by ;

ca! BL ae ee

Figure 30. Supplement to the Scientific Journal, December 1838.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 215

[Letter from Grant to Gunn]

Supplement
to the
Scientific Journal [Figure 30]

December Launceston 1838

Strigidae
The Owls —
[The following grouping is a direct quote from Swainson 1836-
1837, Vol. 1, p. 332.]

Genera
1 Typical Group — Ears large, operculated; no Egrets ....... Strix
2nd Sub-typical ... Ears Smaller, no operculum; Egrets,..... Asio
Ears Small; no Egrets or Operculum;
disk imperfect.

Head Small; claws feathered; tail Short . . . Nyctea
3rd Aberrant fs large; claws naked; tail moderate . Nyctipetes

Head Small; claws feathered; tail wedged . . Surnia

I know not well what arrangement to adopt for

this group, which is certainly in a very confused

State, — in a late paper of yours on the Nocturnae

I find that the arrangement is very different from

the one above, and much more complicated, there

being seven genera; still the one above is at present

in such an imperfect State — although professing

to be natural — that to prevent loss of time we had

better in the mean time use the one which you

have followed — And in fact our species are

so few that it is immaterial.

215

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216
Noctua
[page break]

Gen. Noctua = Savigny
Sp. Noct. maculata — Vig. & Horsf.
[Southern Boobook]
The specific description of this our little falconine
Owl by Vigors & Horsfield is so minutely correct
[1827]
that I think it unnecessary to transcribe it
I have shot this bird in the daytime —
there is another Species mentioned by them
the Noctua Boobook — larger than the former
more ferruginous and the white Spots not so
distinctly marked — I have not however seen
it —

[There is no other small owl in Tasmania. Vigors and Horsfield
used maculata for Tasmanian birds, and boobook for those of the
south-eastern mainland. These were treated as separate species
well into the twentieth century.|

Genus — Strix . Lin.
Species — Strix flammea?

Barn or White Owl

Strix. corpore luteo punctis albis; subtus albido
punctis nigricantibus. Lin —

[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 190]
They do not seem very sure about the name of this
bird Else why the mark ? — the markings how-
ever agree very well with our bird, and in fact
I see no difference between it and the bird of
Europe Except perhaps a little deeper tinge of
tawny colour in that of VDL. — the form
is Exactly similar — it Seems to be rather

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CORRESPONDENCE DAT

a rare bird — as I have never Shot
one. — —

[This may once again be a confusion between the Barn Owl of
Europe and the Masked Owl of Tasmania, but the closeness of the
description of the Barn Owl and the comment on its rareness sug-
gests that this probably was a Barn Owl.|

There are I believe two others — one

very small. the other very large — the latter is found
[The “very large” may refer to the Masked Owl.|

at the Great Western lakes — but at present

[page break]
we must look on both as more than doubtful
Fissirostres

Ordo. — 2d.
Tribus [?] — Fissi rostres Cuv.
Fam. Hirundinae
Genus Hirundo
Species Hir. Pyrrhonota. Lath. Refs [?]
[Tree Martin]
Dun — rumped Swallow Lath
Hir. Supra Caeruleo — nigra, subtus fulvescens, fascia
frontali ferruginea, uropygio fulvo, alis caudaque Sub
furcata fuscis, — Remiges retricesque subtus pallideé
fuscae; Tectrices inferioris fulvae. Longitudo corporis
is 4 9/10, rostri ad frontem 1/5, ad rictum 1/2
— alae a carpo ad remigen primam 4 3/10; Caudae 1 1/3
tarsi 9/20 — — This is evidently our common swallow
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 190]
the time of whose arrival and departure you
have no doubt noted; — I find on referring
to my note book that they appear about the
Ist or 2d of September. and leave us in

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218

the latter End of March — the 28th is marked as
the last day they were seen — and they were
then, “congregated among the high trees over
the river as if ready for departure” —

— do these dates agree with yours?

Cypselus
[page break]

Genus Cypselus.
Swift
[in pencil in Gunn’s hand?: H. Caudacuta Lath.]
Species?
Chatura Australis. Stephens.
[White-throated Needletail|

The specific characters of our very handsome
Swift I hope you will send in your next,

it is a very rare bird & I hope you have

not already Sent it to England without

noting them down minutely as it will leave a
great blank in our list. — I have noted

March 26/37 — “A few Swifts were seen playing
about the Swamp — and a few days ago at
Mount Direction —’ On the following day not
a single bird was to be seen — — the same
occurrence happened last year —

they were then in much greater numbers

but disappeared Equally soon — they are
here only a few hours and just at the

time when the swallows depart — this is

really a very Singular migration! — do you
know whether they are Ever seen about
Sydney? — if you know any one there perhaps
you might ascertain —. I shall make En-
quires in Hobarton — they are not taken
notice of among the “Birds of New Holland” — and

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CORRESPONDENCE 219
[probably Shaw 1794 or Vigors and Horsefield 1827]
[page break]

I therefore conclude that they must be as
rare in Sydney as here — these papers
were however read to the Lin. Society in
1826 so that many specimens may

have been Sent home & described since
then —

Fam. Caprimulgidae

There are only two birds belonging to this family
of which I am aware. there is a true Goatsucker
described — but the specimen was unique and very
imperfect — it was found dead in a garden — it
has the serrated claw of which we have heard so
much — about the use of which there has been
so much difference of opinion, and which is still
undetermined — You have noticed the same structure
in the Strix flammea
[Barn Owl/Masked Owl]
— & | in the Bittern
[Australian Bittern Botaurus poiciloptilus|

Genus. Aegotheles. AiyoOnAnc
Rostrum breve, crassiusculum, latissimum, basi
depressum, tomiis integris, rictu amplissimo. Culmen
carinatum, rotundatum, dertro unguiculato, subadunco
Mandibula inferior apice ad accipiendum superioris dertrum
canaliculata
Vibrissae mastacles ad apicem simplices, ad basin pectin
atae; capistrales numerosae, longissimae, porrectae, utrinque
pectinatae. Nares in medio rostri positae, lineares, obliquae
subpatulae, posticé angustiores. Alae breves, rotundatae
Remiges prima et sexta feré aequales brevissimae,

secunda

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220
[page break]

secunda [sic] et quinta aequales longiores, tertia et quarta
aequales longissimae; secundae pogonio externo leviter,
tertiae ad quintam inclusam pogontis externis profundé
Emarginatis: secundae ad quintam inclusam pogoniis internis
Emarginatis
Pedes congrui. Tarsi elongati, subgraciles, conpressi, nudi.
digiti liberi, subgraciles, feré aequales. Hallux longus, debilis,
Ungues compressissimi, medio integro, Acrotarsia acro=
=podiaque scutulata; horum scutis confertis approximantibus
Cauda mediocris, rotundata

[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, pp. 194-195]

The Genus Aigotheles [sic] as thus defined seems to
hold an intermediate place between Caprimulgus

and Podargus — the bill is more depressed than in
podargus — the tarsi are weaker and more compressed
and comparatively more Elongated — the toes also

are nearly Even while in podargus the middle toe

is the longest —

Aigotheles [sic] Albo-gularis — I send two specimens
[Australian Owlet-nightjar]

of what appears to be this bird — there

is another Species the Aigoth. [sic] Novae Hollandiae
[There is a single species in Australia, the Australian Owlet-night-
jar, with a mainland subspecies Aegotheles cristatus cristatus and
the Tasmanian endemic subspecies A. c. tasmanicus. There is con-
fusion here with names. Vigors and Horsfield used the name
Caprimulgus albogularis for the White-throated Nightjar
Eurostopodus mystacalis. Gunn and Grant seem to have switched
the name to the owlet-nightjar.|

but it seems to have an Erect setaceous [?] crest

and is of a dusky black — While the specimen

sent is of a deepash colour with faint whitish transverse

bands. — the imperfect specimen belongs to you it

was in such a decomposed state (when I got it from

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CORRESPONDENCE 221
Mr Charles Thomson to skin for you). that it was
[page break]

with difficulty preserved — the other which is

I think a female you will be kind Enough to

return — — I am not sure of this species and

as Our Specimens are so imperfect we can

return to the subject again — they belong

however to the Genus Aigotheles [sic] & that

is so far satisfactory —

Podargus

of this genus there are three species Described

by Vig. & Horsf. — the one sent is in all
[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, pp. 197-201]

probability the Podargus Cuvier [sic] — the others
[Tawny Frogmouth]

being described as much larger — and the

Markings are sufficiently near — the irides

however are said to be brown while our

bird has them of a fine yellow colour

[page break]

[The following list appears to be in Gunn’s handwriting, and is
written on the back of the previous page]

Raptores.
Falconidae
1 Falco Berigora? Grant
[Brown Falcon]
Falco.
2 Accipiter torquatus? Grant.
[Collared Sparrowhawk]
6 Aquila fuscosa
[Wedge-tailed Eagle]
5 Astur Novae Hollandiae

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222

[Grey Goshawk]
3. Astur fasciatus.
[Brown Goshawk|
4 Circus Diemenicus?
[Swamp Harrier]
Strigidae.
Noctura maculata.
[Southern Boobook]
Strix (not [?] [or note?] flammea.)

Fissirostres.
Hirundinae
Hirundo Pyrrhonota.
[Tree Martin]
“ Javanica.
[Welcome Swallow]
Chaetura Australis.

[White-throated Needletail|

Caprimulgidae.
Aegotheles albogularis
[Australian Owlet-nightjar]
Podargus Cuvierii
[Tawny Frogmouth][end of list]

[page break]

[Grant continued]
Jany 30/38 Addenda et Corrigenda
I am glad to find that you have a
Specimen of the Hirundo Javanica, and
[Welcome Swallow]
although it is a very young bird, quite difficult
to identify the species — in addition to the
discriminating marks Mentioned by you Viz
— “the broader ferriginous band on the front &
Extending to the cheeks and breast,” We must
at once remark that it has not the Dun Rump

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CORRESPONDENCE 223

from which Latham took his trivial name
that the abdomen is much whiter, and the
External feathers of the tail are (in the middle!) marked with
oblique white bands awanting in the two middle feathers. but
of a rounded shape in the others — the blue
colour of the back appears to have a greenish
reflection, while in the Pyrrhonota it is purple
[Tree Martin]
As to the size we cannot say much having
such a young bird — it is better to leave that
until we procure an adult bird — as to
the remark by Vigors & Horsfield about the
relative size & strength of the tail feathers
you must bear in mind that it was in comparison
with the European Swallow — not with the Hir
[Considered conspecific with the Barn Swallow]
Pyrrhonota — both our Swallows have I think less

[page break]

deeply forked tails than the Hir. Rustica
[Barn Swallow]
to which Vig. & Horsf. alluded —

As to your conjecture that the Falco

Berigora [Brown Falcon] is the Same as the Perigrina
[Peregrine Falcon]

I should be inclined to doubt it —

as, although you justly remark that both

are discribed [sic] as having the very curious

black beard or streak from the sides

of the Lower Mandible — the feet of

F, perigrina are yellowish — while those

of Berigora are bluish — the colours

too are different the peregrine being of

an ash colour above, with dusky bands

and below of a reddish white — however

we must at present leave this, we

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224

can determine nothing with certainty
unless the specimens be produced
Vigors & Horsf. State that Their Specimen of the
Australian peregrine was in a fine state of preservation
& that after a minute comparison with the European
bird they could discover “No material difference
between them” —

[Vigors and Horsfield 1827, p. 183]

[page break]

— As to the Strix flammea I think

your remarks are very just — we are

too apt to conclude at once, from the very

imperfect descriptions, that birds are specifically

the same when they [are] totally distinct in

reality —.

The descriptions of the Chatura Australis

[White-throated Needletail|

is very imperfect — and I will thank you

to draw up a more correct one from your

very fine specimen, as I| think it a pity

that such a Splendid bird should be passed

over so carelessly —You mention that

they probably feed very high in the air and

that that would account for their being

so seldom met with — but I was continually

watching for them last season and one

would conclude that their prey would change

according to the state of the atmosphere — from

the higher to the lower regions of the air —

I am still in great doubt about them —

Mr Neile Mentions that when coming to

[page break]

VDLand and being 400 miles! from this
country a swallow flew on board — I

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CORRESPONDENCE 225
will ascertain from him the latt. & long.
also the state of the winds & when this

curious event happened —

[end of letter]

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226

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[The following taxonomic synopsis is in Gunn’s handwriting and
contains dates as late as 1840. It appears to be the taxonomic
order and divisions of birds that Gunn and Grant had decided
upon. Grant has made occasional notes indicating that this is the
product of both their efforts. The list shares with the lists of high-
er order categories by earlier and contemporary European
ornithologists some categories and their sequence. For example,
Linnaeus and Vieillot also began their lists with Order Accipitres,
and many lists began with raptors (for a detailed list of early clas-
sification systems and references see Walters 2003). The list of J. J.
Tschudi (1844) is close to that of Gunn-Grant in the sequence of
orders, but varies in other regards and may postdate the Gunn-
Grant list. It is clear the Gunn and Grant were influenced in
developing their classification system by other authors.

Taxonomies before Darwin and evolution by natural selec-
tion were problematic because they were not predicated on relat-
edness or common ancestry. Clearly, Gunn and Grant recognized
that a particular bird species more closely resembles some species
than others and grouped the species that were most alike together.
The higher taxonomic categories (e.g., order, family) have changed
enormously since the time of Gunn and Grant and are currently
in a state of flux, largely due to the advent of DNA techniques, and
competing classifications of birds are now under consideration by
the ornithological community. For example, currently, Australian
birds are distributed in 23 orders (Christidis and Boles 2008) but
were distributed in 21 orders in 1994 (Christidis and Boles 1994).
In the list below below a few of the present locations of bird fami-
lies in orders are given in brackets along with the current names
of orders that have survived since the 1800s.]

Ord. 1. Accipitres
[Accipitriformes]
Sub Ord. 1 — Do [ditto] diurni
[Diurnal birds of prey]
Fam.2 Falconidae
Subfam 3 Aquilinae
Aquila Briss. 1760
Pandion Sav. 1809

221

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228

Haliaetus (Autig [?]) Sav. 1809
Subfam 4. Falconinae
Falco. L
[“L” is the standard abbreviation for Linnaeus when used with
scientific names.]
Ieracidea Gould 1837
Subfam 6. Accipitrinae
Daedalion Sav 1809 [illegible] for Astur
Accipiter Antig [?]. Briss. 1760
te Circinae
Circus. Antig [?]. Lacep. 1800:1801.
[Lacepéde]
Suborder. 2. | Accipitres Nocturni
Fam 3. Strigidae
[Owls are in the Order Strigiformes.|
Subfam. 1 Surninae
Athene. Boise 1822
Subfam. 4. Striginae
Strix L.

[page break]

Ord. II. Passeres. L.
[Passeriformes]
Tribe 1. Fissirostres
Sub tribe 1. Viz Nocturnae
Family 1. Caprimulgidae
[The frogmouths and owlet-nightjars have been placed in the
Order Caprimulgiformes (Dickinson 2003).]
Subfam. 1. Podarginae
Aegotheles vig. & Hors. 1825.
Podargus Cuv. 1829.
Subtribe 2. Fissirostres Diurnae
Fam. 2. Hirundinidae
Sub fam. 1. Cypselinae
Acanthylis Boie 1826.
Subfam. 2. Hirundininae
Hirundo L.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 229

CORRESPONDENCE

Chelidon ? probably Martin
Family 4 [?]. Alcedinidae
Subfam 5. Alcedininae
Alcyone Swains. 1837.

[page break]

Tribe II. Tenuirostres

Fam. 4. Meliphagidae

Subfam. 1. Myzomalinae
Acanthorhynchus Gould 1837.
Glyciphilae Swains 1827

Subfam. 2. Meliphaginae
Ptilotis Sw. 1837.
Melephaga Lewin 1808.
Anthochaera Vig & Hors. 1825.

Subfam 3. Melithreptinae

229

Manorhina Viell [Vieillot] 1816 (Myzantha Gould )

[old name for Manorina, of which Gould was author]

Melithreptus Vieill. 1816 [illegible] Gould. [?]

Tribe HI Deutirostres
Fam. 1. Suscinidae
Subfam. 1. Malurinae
Malurus Vieill 1816.
Stipiturus. is not this the Emu Wren
Subfam 3. Saxicolinae Calamanthus Gould.
Petroica Sw. 1832
Subfam 4. Accentorinae
Sericornis Gould 1837
Acanthiza V. & H 1825

[page break]

Subfam 6. Sylvicolinae
Zosterops V & H 1825

Sub fam 7. Motacillanae
Anthus Bechst. 1802.

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 230

230

Fam. 2. Turdidae
Subfam. 2. Turdinae
Oreocincla Gould 1837
Subfam 3. Timalinae
Cinclosoma V & H 1825
Fam 3. Muscicapidae
Subfam. 5. Muscicapinae
Myiagra V & H 1825
Rhipidura Do [ditto]
Fam 4. Ampelidae
Subfam 1. Pachycephalinae
Pachycephala Sw. 1825
Subfam 2. Piprinae
Pardalotus Viell. 1816.

[page break]

Subfam 4. Campephaginae
Graucalus Cuv. 1817.
[in Grant’s hand: Must be altered]
[Graucalus is a synonym of Coracina cuckoo-shrikes.|
Subfam 5. Dicrurinae
Artamus Vieill. 1826. | Ocypterus Cuv.
Fam 5. Lanidae
Subfam 1. Laninae
Colluriocincla V & H 1825.
Subfam 2. Thamnophlinae
Cracticus cinereus Viell. 1816.
[in Grant’s hand: is not this Colluricinca of [illegible]]
Tribe IV Conirostres
Fam. 1. Corvidae
Subfam 1. Phonygaminae
Gymnorhina Gray 1840
Strepara Less. 1831. Coronica Gould
Subfam 4. Corvinae
Corvus L
Fam. 4 Fringillidae
Subfam. 4 Fringillinae

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 234

CORRESPONDENCE 231
Amadina Sw. 1827.
[page break]

Order II Scansores
No [?] Tribes
Fam 2. Psittacidae
[The parrots and cockatoos are in the Order Psittaciformes.]|
Subfam. 1.
[in Grant’s hand: Pezoporinae]
Platycerus Vig. 1825
Pezoporus Ill. 1811. [Illiger]
Eouphanis [?] [illegible] 1830
Trichoglossus V. & H. 1826.
Subfam. 5. Cacatuinae.
Calyptorhynchus V & H 1826
[in Grant’s hand: black]
Callocephalon Less. 1837
[in Grant’s hand: Is I think white one — but is the CH? [?] [illegible]]
Fam 4. Cuculidae
[The cuckoos are now in the Order Cuculiformes|
Subfam 5. Cuculinae
Cuculus L
Chrysococcyx Boie 1826. is chalcites
Order 4. Columbae
[added later in Grant’s hand?]| [Columbiformes]
Fam. Columbidae
Subfam 2. Columbinae
? Lophorhynchus Sw 1837.
Subfam 3. Gourinae
Phaps Selby 1835. [?]

[page break]

Ord. 5. Gallinae
[added later in Grant’s hand?] [Galliformes]
Fam 3. Tetraonidae
Subfam 1. Perdicinae

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232

Coturnix Antigq [?] [illegible] 1752.
Fam 6. Tinamidae
[Tinamous are now in the Order Tinamiformes. |
Taruix Boru. [?] 1790 [?]
Ord 6. Struthiones
[added later in Grant’s hand?] [Struthioniformes]
Fam 1. Struthionidae
Subfamily 1. Struthioninae
Dromaius Viell.
Ord 7. Grallae
[added later in Grant’s hand?]
Fam 1. Charadridae
[The sandpipers, plovers, and allies are in the Order
Charadriiformes.|
Subfam. 3. Charadrinae
Vanellus L. 1735
Charadrius L
Hiaticula Antig [?] GM Gray 1840
Subfamily 5. Haematopodinae
Haematopus L.
Fam 2. Ardeidae
[The herons are in the Order Ciconiiformes.|
Sunfam 3. Ardinae
Ardea L

[page break]

Fam 3. Scolopacidae
Subfam 1. Limosinae
Limosa. Briss. 1760
Subfam 3. Recurvorostrinae
Recurvirostres L
Himantopus Antig [?] Briss. 1760.
Subfam 4 Tringinae
Tringa L 1755
Subfam 5. Scolopacinae
Scolopax L
Numenius L

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CORRESPONDENCE a3

Fam 5. Rallidae
[The rails and allies are in the Order Gruiformes.|
Subfam 1. Rallinae
Porzana Viell. 1816 is Zaporina
Rallus L. or
? Ocydromus Wagl. 1830. [Wagler]
Subfam 2 Gallinulinae
Porphyrio Briss. 1760

[page break]

Ord VIII Anseres
[Now Anseriformes]
Fam 1. Anatidae
Subfam. 3 Anserinae
Ceropsis Lath.
Subfam 4. Cygninae
Cygnus L. 1755
Subfam 5. Anatinae
Anas L
Spatula Boie 1822 is Rhynchaspis
[An old synonym of Spatula (shovellers), itself a synonym of Anas|
as also is
Erismatura Bonap 1832. of Subfam Erismaturinae
[C. L. Bonaparte] [This is an old synonym of Oxyura, stiff-tailed
ducks]
Fam 2. Colymbidae
[The grebes are in the Order Podicipediformes. |
Subfam 2. Podcipinae
Podiceps Lath.
Fam 3. Alcidae
[The alcids are in the Order Charadriiformes.]
Subfam. 3 Spheniscinae
[The penguins are in the Order Sphenisciformes.|
Eudyptes Viell. 1816. is Aptenodytes Chrysocome
which is now E. demersus
[The penguin demersus, is the Jackass penguin Spheniscus
demerus, chrysocome is the Rockhopper Penguin Eudyptes chryso-

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM pe 234

234

come.|
Aptenodytes Forst. [?] 1788. A. patagonica

[page break]

Fam 4. Procellaridae
[The petrels, shearwaters, albatrosses and allies are in the Order
Procellariiformes.]
Subfam 1. Procellarinae
Procellaria L.
Prion Lacep 1800-1. is Pachyptila
[Lacepéde]
Diomedea L
Fam 5 Laridae
[The gulls are in Order Charadriiformes. |
Subfam 1 Larinae
Larus L.
Subfam 3. Sterninae
Sterna L
Fam 6. Pelecanidae
[The pelicans, cormorants, gannets, and allies are in the Order
Pelecaniformes.]
Subfam 3 Pelecaninae
Sula Bay [?] Briss 1760
Pelecanus L.
Graucalus L. 1755 for Phalacrocorax.

[end of document]

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 235

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240

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APPENDIX I
List of birds mentioned in the letters

[An * indicates species mentioned in the letters that are not native to

Tasmania. |
Current name Gunn and Grant’s
name, or name used
by a European author-
ity
Bee-eater, Rainbow* Merops ornatus Bee Eater
Latham, 1802
Bittern, Australian Botaurus poiciloptilus Bittern
(Wagler, 1827)
Boobook, Southern Ninox novaeseelandiae small spotted owl
leucopsis (Gould, 1838) Noctua maculata
N. Boolbook; Strix
Boolbook; Buck’ buck
Butcherbird, Grey Cracticus torquatus cinereus Laughing Jack-ass
(Gould, 1837) Vanga destructor
Laughing Jack Ass;
Vanga cinerea
Butcherbird, Pied* Cracticus nigrogularis Cracticus varius; Vanga
(Gould, 1837) negrogularis
Caracara, Black* Daptrius ater Vieillot, 1816 Daptrius ater
Cockatoo, Gang-gang* Callocephalon fimbriatum Red Crowned parrot
(Grant, 1803) Calyptorhynchus
Galeatus
Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cacatua galerita Greater Sulphur crested
(Latham, 1790) Cockatoo; Plyctolophus
galeritus; Psittacus
galeritus
Cuckoo, Common* Cuculus canorus European Cuckoo
Linnaeus, 1758
Cuckoo-shrike, Black-faced Coracina Summer bird;
novaehollandiae (J. F. Gmelin, 1789) Grauculus
Melanops; Corvus
Melanops; Cablepyris
melanops; Rollier a
241

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242
Masque Noir
Currawong, Black Strepera fuliginosa [described but did not
(Gould, 1837) name]
Currawong, Grey Strepera versicolor arguta Noisy Grakle; White
Gould, 1846 Vented Black Magpie
Coracias strepera
White-vented Crow
Corvus graculinus
Gracula strepera; Black
Magpie
Eagle, Bald* Haliaeetus leucocephalus American White-
(Linnaeus, 1766) Headed Sea Eagle
Eagle, Golden* Aquila chrysaetos (Linnaeus, 1758) Golden Eagle
Eagle, Wedge-tailed Aquila audax fleayi Wedge tailed Eagle
(Condon and Amadon, 1954) Aquila fucosa; Aquila
fuscosa
Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae diemenensis Emu Dromaius Nova
(Le Soiief, 1907) Hollandiae
Emu-wren, Southern Stipiturus malachurus littleri Emu Wren; Malurus
Mathews, 1912 gularis
Musicapa malachura
Falcon, Brown Falco berigora tasmanicus Falco Berigora; cream
(Mathews, 1916) bellied falcon
Falcon, Peregrine Falco peregrinus Tunstall, 1771 Peregrine; Falco
peregrinus
Fairy-wren, Superb Malurus cyaneus cyaneus Superb Warbler; Blue
(Ellis, 1782) Wren Silvia cyanea
Malurus Superbus; M.
cyanea; M. cyaneus
Mottacilla cyanea; blue
warbler
Fantail, Grey Rhipidura albiscapa albiscapa Fan tailed Flycatcher
Gould, 1840 Muscicapa
flabellifera; Rhipidura
flabellifera
Firetail, Beautiful Stagonopleura bella Fringilla bella; Nitid
(Latham, 1802) Grosbeak Loxia Nitida
Loxia bella; black lined
grosbeak
Flycatcher, Restless* Myiagra inquieta volatile flycatcher
(Latham, 1802) Seisura volitans
Flycatcher, Satin Myiagra cyanoleuca Satin Bird

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 243

APPENDIX I 243
(Vieillot, 1818)
Frogmouth, Tawny Podargus strigoides Podargus or common
Latham, 1802 Mope-Hawk; More-
Pork; Podargus Cuvierii
Giant Petrel, Southern Macronectes giganteus Giant Petrel Procellaria

(J. F. Gmelin, 1789) or Northern M. halli gigantea
Mathews, 1912

Goose, Cape Barren Cereopsis novaehollandiae Cape Barren Goose
(Latham, 1802) Cereopsis Novae
Hollandiae
Goshawk, Brown Accipiter fasciatus Astur fasciatus
(Vigors and Horsfield, 1827)
Goshawk, Grey Accipiter novaehollandiae White Hawk Falco
(J. F. Gmelin, 1788) albus; Astur
Novae Hollandiae
Falco Albus
Goshawk, Northern* Accipiter gentilis Accipiter palumbarius
(Linnaeus, 1758)
Harrier, Northern* Circus cyaneus Hen Harrier

(Linnaeus, 1766)
Harrier, Swamp Circus approximans Peale, 1848 Hen Harrier; Circus
Diemenicus
Hobby, Australian Falco longipennis Merlin or Hobby
Swainson, 1837
Honeyeater, Crescent Phylidonyris pyrrhopterus Meliphaga fulvifrons
(Latham, 1802)

Honeyeater, New Holland Phylidonyris Honeysuckle Bird
novaehollandiae canescens Meliphaga Novae
(Latham, 1790) Hollandiae; Common

Honeysuckle

Kingfisher, Azure Alcedo azurea diemenensis Kingfisher Ceyx azurea

(Gould, 1846) Azure kingfisher Al.
Tribrachys; Halcyon
Cinnammominus
Alcedo Azurea

Kite, Brahminy* Haliastur indus Haliastur pondicirianus
(Boddaert, 1873)

Kite, Plumbeous* Ictinia plumbea Ictinea plumbea

(J. F. Gmelin, 1788)
Kokako* Callaeas cinerea (J. F. Gmelin, 1788) Cinereous Wattle-bird

Glaucopis cinerea
Kookaburra, Laughing* Dacelo novaeguineae Dacelo gigantea; Giant

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 244

244
(Hermann, 1783) King fisher
Lammergeier* Gypaetus barbatus Gypaétus barbatus

(Linnaeus, 1758)
Lapwing, Masked Vanellus miles (Boddaert, 1783) Vanellus Gallinaceous
Lorikeet, Little* Glossopsitta pusilla (Shaw, 1790) Perruche a face rouge
Small Parakeet

Lorikeet, Musk Glossopsitta concinna Trichoglossus
(Shaw, 1791) concinnus; Psittacus

concinnus; Perruche a

bandeu rouge; crimson

fronted parakeet
Magpie, Australian Gymnorhina tibicen hypoleuca Piping Crow Barita

(Gould, 1837) Tibicen; Gracula
tibicen
Martin, Tree Petrochelidon nigricans common swallow
(Vieillot, 1817) Hirundo Pyrrhonota
Dun-rumped Swallow
Merlin* Falco columbarius Linnaeus, 1758 merlin
Miner, Noisy Manorina melanocephela leachi Miner

(Mathews, 1912)
Needletail, White-throated Hirundapus caudacutus Swift Cypselus

(Latham, 1802) giganteus Hirundo
caudacuta; Chaetura
Australis
Osprey* Pandion haliaetus (Linnaeus, 1758) Pandion
Owl, Barn Tyto alba barn or White; Strix
(Scopoli, 1769) flammea; Common
White
Owl, Masked Tyto novaehollandiae castanops confused with Barn
(Gould, 1837) Owl?
Owlet-nightjar, Australian Aegotheles cristatus Agotheles
tasmanicus Mathews, 1918 albogularis; Agotheles

albo-gularis
Pardalote, Forty-spotted Pardalotus quadragintus Spotted Winged

Gould, 1838 Pardalotus [?]
Pardalote, Spotted Pardalotus punctatus Spotted manakin
(Shaw, 1792) Diamond Bird
Pardalotus punctatus
Pardalote, Striated Pardalotus striatus striatus Streaked Manakin
(J. F. Gmelin, 1789) Pardalotus striatus

Striped-headed Manakin
Pipra striata

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 245

APPENDIX I

Parrot, Ground Pezoporus wallicus leachi
Mathews, 1912

Parrot, Swift Lathamus discolor (Shaw, 1790)
Petrel, Cape Daption capense (Linnaeus, 1758)

Pipit, Australian Anthus australis bistriatus
(Swainson, 1837)

Quail-thrush, Spotted Cinclosoma punctatum
dovei Mathews, 1912

Raven, Forest Corvus tasmanicus
Mathews, 1912

Robin, Dusky Melanodryas vittata
(Quoy and Gaimard, 1830)

Robin, Flame Petroica phoenicea Gould, 1837

Robin, Pink Petroica rodinogaster
(Drapiez, 1819 or 1820)

Robin, Red-capped Petroica goodenovii
(Vigors and Horsfield, 1827)

Robin, Scarlet Petroica boodang leggii
Sharpe, 1879

Rook* Corvus frugilegus Linnaeus, 1758

Rosella, Eastern Platycerus eximius diemenensis

North, 1911

Rosella, Green Platycerus caledonicus

245

Ground Parrot Psittacus
terrestris; P. formosus
P. terrestus; Perruche
ingambe; Pezoporus
formosus; ground
parakeet

Parakeet; Psittacus
sanguinolentus
Pintado petrel
Procellaria capensis
New Zealand Lark
Aluda Novae
Zealandiae

Spotted

Shouldered Thrush

Turdus punctatus
ground Dove

Cinclostoma punctatum
C. punctata
Crow

Monarcha Carinata
Muscicapa Carinata
Common Sparrow
[does not name]

Muscicapa Lathami

Muscicapa Goodenovii

Red bellied Flycatcher
Muscicapa flabellifera
M. multicolor; M.
erythrogastra

Rook

Non-pareil Parrot
Psittacus eximus
Rose-Hill; Rosella
Parrot; Rosella
Parakeet; Platycerus
Eximus; Perruche omni-
colore; Rosella
Common green Parrot

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246

(J. F. Gmelin, 1788)

Sea Eagle, White-bellied Haliaeetus leucogaster
(J. F. Gmelin, 1788)

Shrike-thrush, Grey Colluricincla harmonica
strigata Swainson, 1837

Sparrowhawk, Collared Accipiter cirrhocephalus
(Vieillot, 1817)

Spinebill, Eastern Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris
dubius Gould, 1837

Swallow, Barn* Hirundo rustica Linnaeus, 1758

Swallow, Welcome Hirundo neoxena Gould, 1842

Swamphen, Purple Porphyrio porphyrio
(Linnaeus, 1758)

Swan, Black Cygnus atratus (Latham, 1790)

Swift, Fork-tailed Apus pacificus
(Latham, 1802)

Thornbill, Brown Acanthiza pusilla diemenensis
Gould, 1838

Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Acanthiza chrysorrhoa
leachi Mathews, 1912
Thrush, Bassian Zoothera lunulata (Latham, 1802)

Wattlebird, Red* Anthochaera carunculata
(Shaw, 1790)

Wattlebird, Yellow Anthochaera paradoxa
(Daudin, 1800)

Psittacus

verticalis; Common
Rosella Parrot

Sea Eagle; Fish Eagle

Brown thrush
Colluricincla cinerea
Common Thrush
Accipiter torquatus

Slender billed Honey
Eater; Meliphaga
tenuirostris; Certhia
tenuirostris

Hir. rustica

Hirundo Javanica
water-hen [?]

Black Swan Cygnus
atratus
H. Pacifica

New Zealand titmouse
Acanthiza pusilla
Motacilla pusilia; Dwarf
warbler

yellow rump

Acanthiza flavicerca; A.
Reguloides

Turdus varius; Brown
ground thrush

Wattled honey Eater
Anthochaera
carunculata; Merops
carunculata; M.
Carunculatus; Pie a
pendeloque; Corvus
carunculata; C.
paradoxus; Wattled bee
eater

Wattle-bird; Merops
carunculatus; Corvus

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 247

APPENDIX I 247

carunculatus; C.

paradoxus
Whistler, Olive Pachycephala olivacea apatetes Pachycephala olivacea;
Schodde and Mason, 1999 Pachycephalus olivacea
Woodswallow, Dusky Artamus cyanopterus Artamus Albovillatus;
(Latham, 1802) Ocypterus albovittatus

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248

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 249

APPENDIX II
List of birds by Gunn, August 1837

(This is apparently a list of bird specimens that were in Gunn’s
possession or that had been shipped to England or John Grant.
There is no mention of whether or not all these birds were collect-
ed in Tasmania. The M = male, F = female, and the number indi-
cates the number of specimens.)

List of Birds. [in pencil: Augst 1837.]
[This column is in pencil.|
No. 1. Aquila fuscosa 1 M. [Wedge-tailed Eagle]
2. Gull brown. [probably an immature Pacific
Gull Larus pacificus, or Kelp
Gull L. dominicanus|

3. Shag. [could be any of the five cor-
morant species found in
Tasmania]
4. Miner 2. M 2 [Noisy Miner]
5. Owl. Large brown. 2. M1 F1 [probably Masked
Owl]
6. Quail large 3. M1 F2 [probably Stubble

Quail Coturnix pectoralis|
7. Quail — brush —

8. Land Rail 1. M1 [probably Buff-banded
Rail Gallirallus philippensis|

9. Sand Piper 2. M1 Fl

10. Thrush Common 5. M3 F2 [Grey Shrike-thrush]

11. Cockatoo — black 2.M1 & FI [Yellow-tailed

Black-Cockatoo
Calyptorhynchus funereus|
12. Cockatoo — white [Sulphur-crested Cockatoo]
13. Teal [in pencil: See No 78] [Grey Teal Anas gracilis or
Chestnut Teal A. castanea]

14. Bald coot 2. M1 F1 [Eurasian Coot
Fulica atra|
15. Pigeon — bronze winged 1. M [either Brush Bronzewing
or Common Bronzewing
Phaps chalcoptera|
16. Ground lark [probably Australian Pipit

Anthus australis]

249

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 250

250

17.

18.
Ls
20.
21),
was
25%

24.
2.

26.

2s
28.
29.
30.
a1,
92)
33.
34.

35.
36.
or

38.
39.

Parrokeet - blue winged

Parrokeet — red cheeked
Parrokeet — swift

Crow — white iris

Crow brown iris

Owl. Small spotted

Thrush — Spotted Shouldered.

Thrush — pheasant -
Manakin — striped

Swallow — wood

White Throat

Trumpeter

Black Magpie

Plover — horn [?] winged —
do. —

Laughing Jackass

do do

Yellow Throat

Barita tibicen
Hawk — Swamp.
Hawk sparrow

More Pork.
Gull —Macharel

[end of page|]

40.

41.

42.
43.

44.
45.

Snipe
Titmouse

Robin — Scarlet
Do red

Fantail
Wren

4. M2 F2 [probably Blue-

winged Parrot Neophema

chrysostoma|
5. M3 F2 [Musk Lorikeet|
3. M2 F1 [Swift Parrot]
[Forest Raven, adult]
[Forest Raven, immature]
1. F [Southern Boobook]
2. M1 F1 [Spotted Quail-
thrush]
230M OES 71
9. MS F3 ?1 [Striated
Pardalote|
4. M2 F2 [probably Dusky
Woodswallow]|

2. M2. F4 — the F. sent as No 73?

[Grey or Black Currawong]
[Masked Lapwing]

[Grey Butcherbird]

3.M.1 Fl ?1

4 M2 F2 [Yellow-throated
Honeyeater|

2. Fl ?1 [Australian Magpie]

[Swamp Harrier]
[probably Collared
Sparrowhawk]
[Tawny Frogmouth|

[probably Latham’s Snipe
Gallinago hardwickii|
10. M9 ?1 [Brown or

Tasmanian Thornbill]

5. M5 [Scarlet Robin]
7 M4F3 & 5 F [illegible]

[Flame Robin?

4. M2 F2 [Grey Fantail]

2 M1 FI [Superb Fairy-wren]

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APPENDIX I 251
46. Do - ? same as 45.
47. Cuckoo — large 2. M1 F1 [probably Pallid
Cuckoo Cuculus pallidus|
48.Do — small. 2 M2 [probably either Shining

Bronze-Cuckoo Chalcites
lucidus, or Horsfield’s
Bronze-Cuckoo C. basalis|

49. Parrot — green 4. M2 F2 [Green Rosella]
50. Shoemaker 3 M2 F1 [possibly a petrel or
shearwater]
51. Yellow tail 2. M1 Fl
52. Parrot — roselle 2. M2 [Eastern Rosella]
53. Swamp Wren 2. M1 F1 [possibly Southern
Emu-wren]
54. Swallow — Country 11. M6 F3 ?2 [possibly the
Welcome Swallow]
55. Swallow — house 2 M1 F1 [probably either Fairy
Martin Petrochelidon
ariel or Tree Martin P.
nigricans|
56. Ring-head. 3 M2 Fl
57. Wattle - bird 2.M & ? [Yellow Wattlebird]
58. Wattle — Smaller. 3. M1 ?2 [Little Wattlebird]
59. Summer bird 2 M2 [Black-faced Cuckoo-
shrike]
60. Grosbeak 7 M4 F3 [Beautiful Firetail]
61 Honeysuckle — white iris 6. M2 F2 ?2 [New Holland
Honeyeater|
62. Do. Red iris 10. M3 F7 [possibly Crescent
Honeyeater Phylidonyris
pyrrhoptera|
263. Do ?fem do[?] of 62.
64. Black Cap - 5. M2 F3 [possibly Black-head-
ed Honeyeater
Melithreptus affinis|
65. [in pencil: Young of 64? Same as 456.]
66. Green head & rump -. 6 m3 f2 ?1
67. Diamond bird 4. M1 F3 [Spotted Pardalote]
68. [illegible] Wren 6. M4 F2
69. [in pencil: Brown — big head — mottled breast] 5. M3 F2
70.
71. Sparrow — large 12 [possibly Dusky Robin]

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252

[Pe
73.

74.

hey

Do small
[in pencil: Female of 27?]
Penguin

Cuckoo — smallish.

76 Emu
77 [in pencil: Forgot to note this? Merlin?] [possibly Australian

78 Teal [in pencil: ?same as No13] 2. M1 F1 [probably Chestnut

79 Pigeons — CMobronze.
80 Quail — black breast.

[end page]
81.
82.
83.
84.
85.

86.

87.

88.

89.
90.

91.

Gull — Saddleback.
Hawks — pigeon
Native Hen

Heron

Godwit

Manakin spotted winged.

Reed Sparrow Swain n

Dabchick

Melliphaga — brown headed.

Satin Bird

Curlew

Lee these

4 F4

4. F4

[Little Penguin Eudyptula
minor]

[probably Fan-tailed Cuckoo

Cacomantis flabelliformis|
[Emu]
Hobby]

Teal]
[Common Bronzewing]
[Stubble Quail Coturnix pec-
toralis|

[possibly Australian Hobby]
[Tasmanian Native-hen
Gallinula mortierii|

[probably White-faced Heron

Egretta novaehollandiae|
1 M [probably Bar-tailed

Godwit Limosa lapponica|

2. M1 F1 [either Spotted

Pardalote or Forty-

spotted Pardalote]

3 M1 F2 [probably Australian

Reed Warbler

Acrocephalus australis|

[either Australasian Grebe
Tachybaptus novaehollandiae
or Hoary-headed Grebe
Poliocephalus poliocephalus|
4. F4 [honeyeater]

1 M [Satin Flycatcher Myiagra

cyanoleuca|
[probably Eastern Curlew
Numenius madagascarensis|

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APPENDIX I 253

92. Booby
93. Duck — black.

94. Parrot ground
95. Kingfisher

96. Duck. Pink Cheek. Richardson.
[remainder of column in pencil:]

Quail Painted

Falcon
Hawk

Do Small
Swift

Red Bill
Olive belly — drab eye hew
99 Bronze Cuckoo

98 Pink Robin
Like Fun [?] Robin [illegible]
97 Cockatoo Parrot

As [?] of [illegible] No 70

[Australian Gannet Morus ser-

ator|

[Pacific Black Duck Anas

superciliosa|

4 M2 F2 [Ground Parrot]

3. M1 FI ?1 [either Azure or
Sacred Kingfisher]

2 M1 F1 [probably Painted
Button-quail]

1.Ml

Zhe

1 F,

1 M [either Fork-tailed Swift
or White-throated Needletail]

1? [Purple Swamphen]

]_F;

2M F. [either Shining or

Horsfield’s Bronze-Cuckoo]
9. M7 F2 [Pink Robin]
3 M2 Fl

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254

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 255

INDEX
(does not include the Appendices, or taxonomic list, pp.227-234))

Acanthiza chrysorrhoa leachi, 66

Acanthiza ewingii, 66

Acanthiza pusilla diemenensis, 66

Acanthiza reguloides, 66

Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris dubius,
43

Accipiter cirrhocephalus, 146

Accipiter fasciatus, 157

Accipiter gentilis, 145

Accipiter nisus, 120

Accipiter novaehollandiae, 22

Aegotheles cristatus cristatus, 220

Aegotheles cristatus tasmanicus, 38,
220

Alcedo azurea diemenensis, 82

Anthochaera carunculata, 21, 42

Anthochaera paradoxa, 21, 44

Anthus australis bistriatus, 20

Apus pacificus, 37

Aquila audax fleayi, 17

Aquila chrysaetos, 76

Artamus cyanopterus, 188

Arthur, Lieutenant Governor George,
1, 10, 74

Audubon, J. J., 80, 81, 87

Bandicoot,

Eastern Barred, 8

Bee-eater, Rainbow Merops ornatus,
187, 188

Bee Eater, 142

Birds of prey,
diurnal, 115, 116, 138, 139,
141, 167, 171, 227
ignoble, 118, 120, 128
noble, 117, 118, 156, 196
nocturnal, 79, 115, 123, 131,
136, 137

Bittern, Australian Botaurus

poiciloptilus, 219

Boobook, Southern Ninox novaesee-
landiae leucopsis, 34, 171, 181,
183, 216, 222
Buck’ buck, 36
Noctua Boobook, 216
Nochtua Boolbook, 36
Noctua maculata, 34, 36, 171,
183, 216, 222
small spotted owl, 34
Strix Boolbook, 36

Botaurus poiciloptilus, 219

Buffon, G. L. Comte de, 2, 77, 79,
87

Butcherbird, Grey Cracticus torqua-
tus cinereus, 53, 82, 93, 189,
195, 207
Laughing Jack-ass Vanga
destructor, 62, 69, 82, 92, 188,
195, 207
Vanga cinerea, 195, 207

Butcherbord, Grey Cracticus torqua-
tus torquatus, 207

Butcherbird, Pied Cracticus nigrogu-
laris, 189
Cracticus varius, 189
Vanga negrogularis, 189

Buteo, 204, 211

Cacatua galerita, 18

Caley, Mr, 176, 188, 190, 192
Callaeas cinerea, 54

Callocephaton fimbriatum, 96
Caprimulgus albogularis, 220
Caracara, Black Daptrius ater, 149
Cathartes aura, 81

Cereopsis novaehollandiae, 18
Cinclosoma punctatum dovei, 19, 82
Circus approximans, 120

255

256

Circus cyaneus, 150
Cockatoo, Gang-gang Callocephalon
fimbriatum, 96, 97, 109
Calyptorhynchus Galeatus, 109
Red Crowned parrot, 96
Cockatoo, Sulphur-crested Cacatua
galerita, 18, 97
Greater Sulphur crested
Cockatoo, 18
Plyctolophus galeritus, 18
Psittacus galeritus, 18
Colluricincla harmonica strigata, 63
Coot, Eurasian Fulica astra
australis, 14
Coracina novaehollandiae, 190
Corlett, Peter (sculptor), 5
Corvus frugilegus, 89
Corvus tasmanicus, 30
Cracticus nigrogularis, 189
Cracticus torquatus cinereus, 53
Cracticus torquatus torquatus, 207
Cuckoo, Common Cuculus canorus,
36
European Cuckoo, 36
Cuckoo-shrike, Black-faced
Coracina novaehollandiae, 190
Cablepyris melanops, 190
Corvus Melanops, 190
Grauculus Melanops, 190
Rollier a Masque Noir, 190
Summer bird, 190
Cuculus canorus, 36
Currawong, Black Strepera fuligi-
nosa, 21
Currawong, Grey Strepera versicolor
arguta, 21, 24
Black Magpie, 21, 24
Coracias strepera, 21
Gracula strepera, 21
Noisy Grakle, 21
White Vented Black Magpie,
24

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 256

White-vented Crow Corvus
graculinus, 21
Cuvier, Baron, 2, 106, 108, 119, 129,
141, 143, 148, 156, 164-166,
175-178, 181, 183, 184, 209
Cygnus atratus, 18

Dacelo novaeguineae, 53

Daption capense, 91

Daptrius ater, 149

Darwin, Charles, 2, 3, 23, 27, 116,
139, 163, 227

Dollarbird Eurystomus orientalis,
142

Dromaius novaehollandiae dieme-
nensis, 18

Eagle, Bald Haliaeetus leuco-
cephalus, 73, 76
American White-Headed Sea
Eagle, 73

Eagle, Golden Aquila chrysaetos, 76

Eagle, Wedge-tailed Aquila audax
fleayi, 17, 71, 72, 87, 98, 119,
128, 160, 167, 183, 212, 221
Aquila fuscosa, 17, 18, 59, 71,
87, 119, 160, 183, 212, 221

Emu Dromaius novaehollandiae
diemenensis, 1, 10
Emu Dromaius Nova Hollandiae, 18
Emu-wren, Southern Stipiturus
malachurus littleri, 107, 195,
209
Emu Wren, 107, 209
Malurus gularis, 107, 195
Musicapa malachura, 108
Eurystomus orientalis, 142
Eurostopodus mystacalis, 220
Evolution, 2, 3, 23, 40, 77, 139, 227

Fairy-wren, Superb Malurus cyaneus

INDEX

cyaneus, 20, 35, 53, 68,191,
192, 195, 208
blue warbler, 192
Blue Wren Silvia cyanea, 20,
53
Malurus cyaneus, 195, 208
Malurus Superbus, 53, 68
Mottacilla cyanea, 191
Superb Warbler, 20, 53, 192
Sylvia Cyanea, 68, 191
Falco berigora tasmanicus, 155
Falco columbarius, 145
Falco longipennis, 168
Falco peregrinus, 155, 196, 199
Falcon, Brown Falco berigora tas-
manicus, 155, 163, 164, 174,
182, 184, 221, 223
cream bellied falcon, 155
Falcon, Peregrine Falco peregrinus,
155, 165, 171, 174, 184, 210,
223
Fantail, Grey Rhipidura albiscapa
albiscapa, 19, 34, 53
Fan tailed Flycatcher
Muscicapa flabellifera, 19
Rhipidura flabellifera, 39, 53
Firetail, Beautiful Stagonopleura
bella, 21
black lined grosbeak, 45
Fringilla bella, 45
Loxia bella, 45
Nitid Grosbeak Loxia Nitida,
21
Flycatcher, Restless Myiagra inqui-
eta, 54, 109
volatile flycatcher Seisura voli-
tans, 54
Flycatcher, Satin Myiagra cyanoleu-
ca, 108
Satin Bird, 108
Franklin, Lieutenant-Governor Sir
John, 3, 10-12, 74

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 257

2571

Lady Jane, 3, 10-12, 15
Frogmouth, Tawny Podargus
strigoides strigoides, 38, 53,
181, 183, 221, 222
More-Pork, 181
Podargus Cuvierii, 52, 181,
183,221,222
Podargus or common Mope-
Hawk, 38
Fulica atra australis, 14

Gardens, Botanical or Zoological, ii,
x1, 18, 72, 74

Giant-Petrel, Southern Macronectes
giganteus, 91
Giant Petrel Procellaria gigan-
tea, 91

Giant-Petrel, Northern Macronectes
halli, 91

Glossopsitta concinna, 47

Glossopsitta pusilla, 47

Goose, Cape Barren Cereopsis
novaehollandiae, 18
Cape Barren Goose Cereopsis
Novae Hollandiae, 18

Goshawk, Brown Accipiter
fasciatus, 157, 166, 183, 203,
210, 222
Austur fasciatus, 157, 166, 183,
210, 222

Goshawk, Grey Accipiter novaehol-
landiae, 14, 22, 52, 146, 156,
165, 167, 183, 222
Astur Novae Hollandiae, 52,
146, 156, 165, 183, 221
White Hawk Falco albus, 52,
146, 156, 165, 167

Goshawk, Northern Accipiter gen-
tilis, 145
Accipiter palumbartus, 145

Gould, John, 3, 4, 11, 15, 66, 67,
83,189, 207, 208

258

Gray, John Edward, 2, 8
Gunn,
William (brother of Ronald), 1,
6
William (father of Ronald), 6
Gymnorhina tibicen hypoleuca, 18
Gypaetus barbatus, 88

Haliaeetus leucocephalus, 73
Haliaeetus leucogaster, 168
Haliastur indus, 147
Harrier, Northern Circus cyaneus,
150
Hen Harrier, 150
Harrier, Swamp Circus approximans,
120, 150, 157, 160, 166, 183,
204, 222
Circus Diemenicus, 167, 183,
CIP!
Hen Harrier, 150
Hirundapus caudacutus, 55
Hirundo neoxena, 175
Hirundo rustica, 176
Hirundo tahitica javanica, 175, 176
Hobby, Australian Falco
longipennis, 168, 183, 201, 202
Honeyeater, Black-headed
Melithreptus affinis, 4
Honeyeater, Crescent Phylidonyris
pyrrhoptera, 43
Meliphaga fulvifrons, 43
Honeyeater, New Holland
Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
canescens, 23, 68, 69
Common Honeysuckle, 68
Honeysuckle Bird, 23
Melitphaga Novae Hollandiae,
68
Honeyeater, Strong-billed
Melithreptus validirostris, 4, 77
Honeyeater, Yellow-throated
Lichenostomus flavicollis, 77

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 258

Hooker, Sir William J., 2, 6, 7-12,
ie Bera
Joseph Dalton, 12

Ictinia plumbea, 146
Jacky Winter Microeca fascinans, 69

Kingfisher, Azure Alcedo azurea
diemenensis, 82, 93, 95, 104,
187, 195, 207
Alcedo Azurea, 187
Azure kingfisher Al.
Tribrachys, 104
Halcyon Cinnammominus, 93
Kingfisher Ceyx azurea, 94,
187, 195, 207
Kingfisher, Micronesian
Todiramphus cinnamominus,
94
Kingfisher, Sacred Todiramphus
sanctus, 93
Kite, Brahminy Haliastur indus, 147
Haliastur pondicerianus, 147
Kite, Plumbeous Ictinia plumbea,
146
Ictinea plumbea, 146
Kokako Callaeus cinerea, 54
Cinereous Wattle-bird, 54
Glaucopis Cinerea, 54
Kookaburra, Laughing Dacelo
novaeguineae, 53, 62, 82, 93,
189
Dacelo gigantea, 62, 93, 189
Gigantic Dacelo, 93
Gigantic king-fisher, 62, 189

Lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus, 88
Gypaétus barbatus, 88

Lapwing, Masked Vanellus miles, 14
Vanellus Gallinaceous, 14

Latham, John, 2, 18, 20, 21, 27, 53,

INDEX

96, 155, 173, 175, 187, 191,
193, 223

Lathamus discolor, 22

Lawrence, William Effington, 1, 6,
12, 204
Robert William, 6, 8

Lee, James (taxidermist), 8

“Longnose & Co.”, 9, 15

Lorikeet, Little Glossopsitta pusilla,
47
Perruche a bandeu rouge, 47
Small parakeet, 47

Lorikeet, Musk Glossopsitta concin-
na, 47
crimson fronted parakeet, 47
Psittacus concinnus, 47
Trichoglossus concinnus, 47

MacLeay, William Sharp, 2
Macronectes giganteus, 91
Macronectes halli, 91
Magpie, Australian Gymnorhina tibi-
cen hypoleuca, 18, 24
Gracula tibicen, 18
Piping Crow Barita Tibicen,
18, 24
Malurus cyaneus cyaneus, 20
Manorina melanocephela leachi, 24
Martin, Tree Petrochelidon
nigricans, 37, 175, 183, 217,
2220229
common swallow Hirundo
Pyrrhonota, 37, 175, 183, 217,
222
Dun-rumped Swallow, 217
Melanodryas vittata, 65
Melithreptus affinis, 4
Melithreptus validirostris, 4
Merlin Falco columbarius, 145
Merops ornatus, 188
Miner, Noisy Manorina
melanocephela leachi, 24, 63

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 259

259

Miner, 24

Monarch, Black-faced Monarcha
melanopsis, 64

Museum(s),
British (Natural History), 2, 8,
10
European, 10
Liverpool, xi, 8

Myiagra cyanoleuca, 108

Myiagra inquieta, 54

Needletail, White-throated
Hirundapus caudacutus, 55,
106, 107, 177, 183, 218, 222,
224
Chaetura Australis, 107, 177,
183, 218, 222, 224
Hirundo caudacuta, 107, 218
Swift Cypselus giganteus, 106
New South Wales, 1, 7, 23, 28, 29,
53, 108, 176, 188
National Herbarium of, 13
Newspapers,
Chronological List of
Tasmania, 9
Horton Herald, 9
North West Literary Chronicle,
9
Nightjar, White-throated
Eurostopodus mystacalis, 220
Ninox novaeseelandiae leucopis, 34

Ornithorrhynchus anatinus, 100
Osprey Pandion haliaetus, 119, 139,
147, 148
Pandion, 147
Owl, Barn Tyto alba, 36, 134, 172-
174, 217, 219
barn or White, 134, 172-174,
216
Common White, 133, 134
Strix flammea, 36, 171, 172,

260

219
Owl, Masked Zyto novaehollandiae
castanops, 36, 37
Owlet-nightjar, Australian
Aegotheles cristatus cristatus,
182, 183, 220, 222
A. c. tasmanicus, 38, 220,

Agotheles albogularis, 183, 222

Agotheles albo-gularis, 182

Pachycephala olivacea, 43
Pachycephala pectoralis glaucura,
65
Pardalote, Forty-spotted Pardalotus
quadragintus, 53, 66, 83
Spotted Winged Pardalotus,
Pardalote, Spotted Pardalotus punc-
tatus, 40, 41, 53, 67, 69, 83
Diamond Bird, 40, 53, 66
Pardalotus punctatus, 40, 66
Spotted manakin, 53
Pardalote, Striated Pardalotus stria-
tus striatus, 20, 41, 42, 55, 56,
83
P. s. ornatus, 42, 56
Streaked Mannakin Pardalotus
striatus, 41, 42, 55, 56
Striped-headed Manakin Pipra
striata, 20
Pardalotus punctatus, 41, 83
Pardalotus quadragintus, 53
Pardalotus striatus ornatus, 42
Pardalotus striatus striatus, 20, 42
Parrot, African Grey Psittacus
erithacus, 97
Parrot, Ground Pezoporus wallicus
leachi, 19, 46, 97, 98, 104
ground parakeet, 97
Ground Parrot Psittacus ter-
restris,
Perruche ingambe, 46

Pezoporus formosus, 104

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 260

Psittacus formosus, 46, 54, 97
Psittacus terrestris, 19, 46
Psittacus verticalis, 22

Parrot, Swift Lathamus discolor, 22,

47
Parakeet; Psittacus sanguino-
lentus, 22

Pectinated claw, 135, 182, 219

Perameles gunnii, 8

Petrel, Cape Daption capense, 91
Pintado petrel Procellaria
capensis, 91

Petrochelidon nigricans, 37

Petrochelidon pyrrhonota, 175

Petroica boodang leggii, 20

Petrocia goodenovii, 28

Petroica phoenicea, 27

Petroica rodinogaster, 28

Petroica rosea, 28

Pezoporus wallicus leachi, 19

Phylidonyris novaehollandiae
canescens, 23

Phylidonyris pyrrhoptera, 43

Pipit, Australian Anthus australis
bistriatus, 20
New Zealand Lark Alauda
Novae Zealandiae, 20

Platycerus caledonicus, 22

Platycerus eximius diemenensis, 18

Platypus Ornithorhynchus anatinus,
100

Podargus cuvieri, 52

Podargus strigoides strigoides, 38,
53

Polyborus sp., 149

Porphyrio porphyrio, 157

Psittacus erithacus, 97

Quail-thrush, Spotted Cinclosoma
punctatum dovei, 19, 53, 83,
191, 195, 208
Cinclostoma punctata, 195, 208

INDEX

Cinclostoma punctatum, 53,
191

ground Dove, 191
Spotted Shouldered Thrush

Turdus punctatus, 19, 53, 191
Quinary system, 152

Raven, Forest Corvus tasmanicus,
30
Crow, 29, 30
Rhipidura albiscapa albiscapa, 19
Richardson, Dr, 157, 168, 183
Robin, Dusky Melanodryas vittata,
65
Common Sparrow, 64, 65
Monarcha Carinata, 64
Robin, Flame Petroica phoenicea,
27
Robin, Pink Petroica rodinogaster,
28, 107

Muscicapa Lathami, 28

Robin, Red-capped Petroica gooden-

ovil, 28

Muscicapa Goodenovii, 28
Robin, Rose Petroica rosea, 28
Robin, Scarlet Petroica boodang

leggii, 20, 27, 64

Muscicapa erythrogastra, 20,

27, 39, 40, 64, 65

Muscicapa multicolor, 20

Red bellied Flycatcher, 20
Rook Corvus frugilegus, 89
Rosella, Eastern Platycerus eximius

diemenensis, 18, 24, 95, 104

Non-pareil Parrot Psittacus

eximus, 18, 46

Perruche omnicolore, 46

Platycerus Eximus, 46, 95, 104

Rose-Hill, 19, 46

Rosella Parakeet, 95

Rosella Parrot, 24

Rosella, 19

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 261

261

Rosella, Green Platycerus cale-
donicus, 22
Common green Parrot Psittacus
verticalis, 22
Common Rosella Parrot, 104
Royal Society of,
Van Diemen’s Land
(Tasmania), 12, 13
London, 13
Russet-tailed Thrush Zoothera
heinei, 63

Scrubwren, Yellow-throated
Sercornis citreogularis, 28
Sea-Eagle, White-bellied Haliaeetus
leucogaster, 168, 212
Fish Eagle, 212, 213
Sea Eagle, 168
Sercornis citreogularis, 28
Shaw, George, 2, 18, 19, 21, 22, 28,
52, 53, 68, 104, 106
Ship,
Beagle, 23
Greenock, 6
Medway, 14
Shrike-thrush, Grey Colluricincla
harmonica strigata, 63, 69,
77,190, 195, 208
Brown thrush Colluricincla
cinerea, 62, 63, 190, 195, 208
Common Thrush, 69
Sparrowhawk Accipiter nisus, 120
Sparrowhawk, Collared Accipiter
cirrhocephalus, 146, 155, 165,
183, 221
Accipiter torquatus, 155, 165,
183, 221
Spinebill, Eastern Acanthorhynchus
tenuirostris dubius, 43, 55
Certhia tenuirostris, 43

Meliphaga tenuirostris, 43, 55
Slender billed Honey Eater, 43

262

Stagonopleura bella, 21
Stephens, James Francis, 106
Stipiturus malachurus littleri, 107
Strepera fuliginosa, 21
Strepera versicolor arguta, 21
Swainson, William, 2, 64, 141, 143-
147, 140, 150, 152, 163, 215
Swallow, Barn Hirundo rustica, 176,
223
Hir. Rustica, 223
Swallow, Cliff Petrochelidon
pyrrhonota, 175
Swallow, Pacific Hirundo tahitica
javanica, 175
Swallow, Welcome Hirundo
neoxena, 175, 176, 183, 222
Hirundo Javanica, 175, 183,
222
Swamphen, Purple Porphyrio por-
phyrio, 157
water-hen [?], 157
Swan, Black Cygnus atratus, 18
Swift, Fork-tailed Apus pacificus,
37, 107
Cypselus australis, 37
C. vittatus, 37
H. Pacifica, 107

Tasmania,
Hobart Town (Hobart), 1, 6, 7,
9, 11, 12, 218
Launceston, 1, 5-8, 10-12, 14,
15, 20, 24, 34, 110, 176, 183,
209, 210
Melbourne (Port Philip), 46, 96
Mount Direction, 59, 66, 218
Sydney (Port Jackson), 1, 12,
19, 62, 82, 93, 189, 218, 219
Woolnorth, 15, 103, 183, 211

Tasmanian Society, 12

The Tasmanian Journal of Natural
Science, Agriculture, Statistics,

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 262

&c. (later Papers and
Proceedings of the Royal
Society), 12, 14

Thornbill, Brown Acanthiza pusilla
diemenensis, 66, 69, 76, 77,
193, 195, 208
Acanthiza pusilla, 66
Dwarf warbler, 193
Motacilla pusilia, 193
New Zealand titmouse, 66

Thornbill, Buff-rumped Acanthiza
reguloides, 66, 196, 209

Thornbill, Yellow-rumped Acanthiza
chrysorrhoa leachi, 66, 69,
193, 195, 209
Acanthiza flavicerca, 193, 195
Acanthiza Reguloides, 209
yellow rump, 66, 69, 193

Thornbill, Tasmanian Acanthiza
ewingii, 66

Todiramphus cinnamominus, 94

Todiramphus sanctus, 93

Thrush, Bassian Zoothera lunulata,
63, 64, 82, 109, 191, 195, 208
Brown ground thrush, 63, 64
Turdus varius, 63, 82, 109,
191, 195, 208

Thrush, Russet-tailed Zoothera
heinei, 63

Tyto alba, 36, 134

Tyto castanops, 173

Tyto novaehollandiae castanops, 173

Van Diemen’s Land, ix, x, 1, 3, 6,
10, 12, 13, 17, 23, 162, 163,
171, 180, 181, 186, 187, 206,
207, 209

Vanellus miles, 14

Vieillot, Louis, 2, 43, 63, 107, 108,
R27

Vigors, Nicholas A., 2, 152, 184,
189

Gunn-Grant-B7:Layout 1 9/29/2009 6:35 PM Se 263

INDEX 263

Vigors, N., and T. Horsfield, x, 29,
42, 43, 47, 52, 55, 66, 67, 83,
94, 97, 116, 155, 156, 171, 176,
183, 187-189, 191-193, 196,
209, 210, 216, 217, 219-221,
223, 224

Vulture, Turkey Cathartes aura, 81

Wattlebird, Red Anthochaera carun-
culata, 21, 44, 54
Corvus carunculatus, 21
Corvus paradoxus, 21, 44
Merops carunculatus, 21, 44
Pie a pendeloque, 44
Wattled bee eater, 44
Wattled honey Eater
Anthochaera carunculata, 44,
54

Wattlebird, Yellow Anthochaera
paradoxa, 21, 44, 54
Wattle-bird, 21

Whistler, Golden Pachycephala pec-
toralis glaucura, 65

Whistler, Olive Pachycephala oli-
vacea apatetes, 43, 65
Pachycephala olivacea,
Pachycephalus olivacea, 43, 65

Wilson, Alexander, 72, 172,173, 175

Woodswallow, Dusky Artamus
cyanopterus, 188, 195, 207
Artamus Albovillatus, 188, 207
Ocypterus albovittatus, 188,
195

Zoothera heinei, 63
Zoothera lunulata, 63

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Full text of "Early Tasmanian ornithology : the correspondence of Ronald Campbell Gunn and James Grant, 1836-1838"

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