Recent Oniithological Puhlicntiuns. 77 



sence. It is less surprising that the two domestic Swallows of 

 Denmark [Hirundo rustica and H. urbica), the Sparrow^ and the 

 Stork are also missing. On the other hand, fine specimens of the 

 Capercailzie {Tetrao urogallus), which feeds principally on the 

 buds of the pine, show that, as we know already from the re- 

 mains found in the peat, the country was at one time covered 

 with pine forests. Aquatic birds, however, are the most fre- 

 quent, especially several species of Ducks and Geese. The Wild 

 Swan {Anas cygnus, L.), which only visits Denmark in winter, is 

 also found; but, perhaps, the most interesting of the birds 

 whose remains have been identified is the Great Auk [Alca im- 

 pennis, L.), a species which is now almost extinct. '^ (p. 497.) 



We may add that we believe it was this discovery of Great 

 Auks' bones in these remarkable deposits which first drew Pro- 

 fessor Steeustrup's particular attention to that species, and 

 caused him to draw up the excellent contribution to its history 

 which was referred to in our last number (Ibis, 1861, p. 375). 

 It remains to be said that the triumvirate have, since 1852, pre- 

 sented to the Danish Scientific Society six Reports (" Unterso- 

 gelser i geologisk-antiqvarisk Retning") on the Kitchen-middens, 

 which have been printed in their ' Transactions ;' and to them, as 

 well as to Mr. Lubbock's paper, we refer those of our readers 

 who wish to know more of these interesting discoveries. That 

 archaeology and zoology reciprocally throw much light on each 

 other cannot be doubted after the extraordinary researches of 

 M. Boucher de Perthes in the valley of the Somme and those of 

 M. Troyon in Switzerland, and it is much to be deplored that 

 British antiquarians have not followed up their explorations more 

 in the spirit of their Danish brethren. 



Mr. BIyth continues his usual Reports on the zoological acces- 

 sions to the Museum of the Asiatic Society of Calcutta, in the 

 only two numbers of the ' Journal' for the past year that have 

 yet reached us. His notes on the Chinese birds sent to him for 

 examination by Mr. Swinhoe (No. 1, p. 90 et seqq.) must be care- 

 fully collated with the latter gentleman's papers in this Journal, 

 in which some of the new species, as there indicated, have been 

 already named and described. A small series of skins from the 



