MISCELLANY. 



387 



A very general opinion prevails as to the scarcity of the Kingfisher in England. 

 This, however, is owing to the shy nature of the bird, and to the small attention 

 paid to Natural History by the majority of our countrymen. The assertion of 

 some, that it is extremely common, is, on the other hand, equally erroneous. 

 The fact is, that it is equally but rather sparingly distributed throughout the 

 country, though it may perhaps not often be noticed save by the observing 

 ornithologist. That a bird equalling in the spendour of its plumage the brightest 

 ornithological gems of tropical climes should be indigenous in our comparatively 

 northern latitude, is certainly not a little remarkable. The majority of British 

 birds, as almost every one knows, are plainly attired j but the plumage of many 

 of them is, nevertheless, extremely handsome. — Ed. 



Proposed Work on American Skulls. — A work to be entitled, " Crania 

 Americana ; or a comparative view of the skulls of various aboriginal nations of 

 North and South America," is noticed in the last number of Silliman's Journal, as 

 having been for some time contemplated by Dr. Samuel Morton. The work is 

 proposed to be of a folio size, and to contain from twenty-five to thirty lithographic 

 plates, on which " at least fifty skulls will be represented, with such national, 

 individual, and anatomical illustrations as can be obtained in reference to each. 

 The work will be preceded by an introduction, embracing a general view of the 

 five great races of men, and followed by an exposition of the probable original of 

 the American tribes. — Mag. of Zool. and Bot., Vol. II., p. 284. 



