406 Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, ^c. 



In a paper entitled " Notes on the Mimida of Jamaica, by 

 Richard Hill," which immediately follows Professor Baird's, Mr. 

 Hill attempts to show that the Mimus hillii above referred to is 

 the true Turdus orpheus of Linnseus, and that the Common 

 Mocking-bird of Jamaica is the true Turdus polyglottus of Lin- 

 naeus. If this be so, the well-known North American species 

 must take some other appellation. 



Mr. H. Bryant publishes, in the ' Proceedings of the Boston 

 Natural History Society^*, some "Remarks on the Genus Ga- 

 leoscoptes, Cabanis, with the characters of two new Genera, and 

 a description of Turdus plumbeus, Linn." It would appear that 

 the true Turdus pi urnheus of Linnseus (founded upon Catesby's 

 description) is quite distinct from the Turdus ardosiaceus of 

 Vieillot, of Porto Rico and St. Domingo : Mr. Bryant even 

 makes a distinct genus of it, which he calls Mimokitta ! But 

 we are rather inclined to agree with Professor Baird, who [in 

 litt.) arranges this little section of Thrush-like Mockers of the 

 Antilles as forming four species of Mimocichla, as follows : — 



1. M. plumbea, ex ins. Bahamens. 



3. M. ardesiaca, ex St. Domingo. 



3. M. schistacea, Baird, sp. nov., ex Cuba. 



4. M. rubripes, ex Cuba. 



XXXIV. — Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, S^c. 



We have received the following letters addressed " To the 



Editor" :— 



Villa Lauren ti, Mentone, France. 



SiR^ — The migratory birds have already, by their arrival, re- 

 minded me of the year that has passed without my sending you 

 such notes as I may have gathered together in the interim. 



I must therefore ask your leave to return in imagination to 

 January 4th of the past year (1863), from which time my jot- 

 tings recommence. On that day I was passing, with my brother, 

 through the lemon-terraces which clothe the warm hill-sides 

 * Proc. Boston Soc. N. II., Dec. 16th, 1863. 



