( 14) 



'phoenicopterus, where it is about 32 nmi. long, though both the latter are recognised 

 as Shirnidae. How uncertain the length of the first primary as a familj' character 

 is, may be seen by comparing it, for example, in PholicUiuges verretnuci (14 mm.), 

 CalaiTiis vietallica (14 mm.), Streptocitta torquata (19 mm.), Acridolherea iristis 

 (25 mm.), Gracula robusta (40 mm.), Gi-dcula juvanica (31 mm.), Mino dumonti 

 (30 mm.), Basilomis (25 mm.), and others, as well as comparing different species 

 and genera of Alaudidae. I was rather surprised to find that in the so-called nine- 

 (juilk'd (or rather, nine-primaried !) Passeres the tenth primary is not always, nay, 

 not even as a rule, and very likely never, entirely absent, but only much reduced, 

 and often difficult to find, because stift" and narrow and hidden by its longer covert. 

 From these reduced little feathers to those of Pholidaiiges, Stumibs, or Color ids is 

 no longer step than from the latter to Acridotheres, Basilomis, and Gracula. How- 

 e\er wide the gap between total absence and development of an organ may be 

 considered, it is wholly unscientific to use its presence in a diminutive size as a 

 character to separate large groups, such as families, when we see that in the groups 

 which we recognised it varies as wide as the difference is between its size in the 

 families where it was called "absent " and the smallest in the families where it was 

 called " present." I am very sorry that these facts exist, because they take from us an 

 apparently very convenient character to split up into groups a number of the many 

 " Passerine birds," which, in spite of the many clever attempts to classify them, 

 will long remain a crux of ornithologists. Finally, I am bound to mention (and this 

 should and will be known to ornithologists) that what I saw is no new discovery, but 

 has long liefore been laid before the Zoological .Society of London in an important 

 paper entitled " Remarks on the Numbers and on the Phylogenetic Development of 

 the Kemiges of Birds," by Hans Gadow. See Proc. Zool. Sac. Land. 1888, p. C55. 



The creation of the family of Pdrdrnythidae may be justified for other reasons, 

 but the minute size of the first jjrimary cannot be taken as an important reason for 

 it. The measurements of our specimen are: wing 103 mm., tail 105, tarsus 30, 

 entire culmen 20. K. H. 



Rhectes nigrescens Schleg. 

 A female from the I>;afa district difl'ers from a. female from Arfak in a decidedly 

 longer bill. As Jleyer (ZeUschr. f. yes. Ornith. III. p. 21) mentions some slight 

 diflferences between males from the two different localities, it is quite possible that 

 they are not the same, but more material is necessary to decide finally. E. H. 



Pomareopsis bniijni (Sahad.). 



1875. GruUiim hi-uljni Salvarl.. .\,i,i. .Mn.<. Cir. („«.,« VII. p. 'J:>9 ; id.. Oni. Pajiiiasiu 11. p. 191 



Sharpe, Cat. B. Brit. .Miu. III. p. 273 ; id., in Gould's B. New Giiiiim III. pi. VA. 

 1880. Pomureopsiit semiatm Oust., Bull Ass. Sci. tie Fraiim p. 17.S. 

 1894. SijinmnrpUus uiijripixtus i&yis, Report on New Guinea 1894, Rep. uii Urnith. Sjiecim. p. 4, No. 44. 



I believe that the three synonyms quoted here really belong to the same .sjjecies. 

 The description and measurements of Symmm'phus nujripeclua so closely agree with 

 tliis species tliat I cannot help regarding it as synonymous for the i)resent, though 

 I hope to be enlightened on the .subject by our fellow-worker Mr. de Vis, to whom 

 we owe so much of our knowledge of birds from South-Eastern Xew iTuinea. 



The Tring Museum has if from the Mailu and Victoria districts. K. II. 



Monachella mlilleriana (Schleg.). 



¥. JMailu, .iuly ilHli, lSt».j. -Iris, feet, lieak dark brown." ^Ving 9(i mm. 



