The taxonomy and species of birds of Australia and its territories

At the risk of seeming smug it can be fairly said that the Australians have not done quite so well as we have in the checklist department. Between 1953 and 1990, when the OSNZ produced three checklists (Fleming 1953, Kinsky 1970, Turbott 1990), our Australian cousins could muster only half a checklist (Condon 1975) and a skeletal outline of the other half (Schodde 1975). The present volume, long-awaited, is still not a full checklist) there are no synonymies, treatments of subspecies or statements on distributional status. It is, however, a useful list, and the extensive discussion is important in showing, for Australasian birds, the way ahead through the new confusion over bird relationships.