Extracts from Correqjondence, Announcements, &'c. 91 



meet with, the descriptions, though ample for discrimination, 

 will not in general be too minute. An account of the habits 

 and manners of the different animals described will be given as 

 far as is known ; and on this head the author's own experience 

 and residence in various parts of the country, from Darjeeling 

 to Trichinopoly, will enable him to give miTch new information, 

 more especially as regards their geographical distribution. 



The greater part of the work is written ; and the two volumes 

 relating to the Birds are, we are informed, almost ready for the 

 press. We need hardly say that we look forward to the ap- 

 pearance of this work, which has been so long and so earnestly 

 demanded, with great anxiety. 



Mr. Blyth writes to us in August last, referring to his expe- 

 dition to the Tenasserim Provinces : — " I several times noticed 

 Pitta [Hydrornis) cyanura in the jungle-clad hills of Maulmein 

 and Martaban. In the Taony River I had a good opportunity of 

 watching, through a glass, a solitary Pudica personata. In the 

 southern provinces the Malayan Tapir occurs, with Argus gigan- 

 teus, Euplocomus vieilloti, Froncolinus perlatus, &c.'' 



Since then, having been seriously ill, Mr. Blyth has again re- 

 turned to Maulmein, to recruit his health by another sea trip. He 

 says (Calcutta, Sept. 29th) : — '^ I am again off to Burmah on the 

 2nd, on three mouths' leave of absence ; whereby you will perceive 

 that I am convalescent, though still incapable of much exertion. I 

 have been well enough to attend at the Museum regularly for the 

 last week. Dr. Jerdon is still at work there, and I have been look- 

 ing over various groups of birds with him. For instance, yester- 

 day that of the Bulbuls — a distinct and isolated family^ in our 

 opinion, in species of which we are rich. Without going much 

 into details, we have settled that my Setornis c?-i?ii^e;' is a diminu- 

 tive species of that group of Criniger to which flavirostns, gularis, 

 and ruficaudatus belong ; also, that Spizixos must be included in 

 the major group, Phyllornis and lora together constituting a 

 subordinate one or subfamily. By the way, Basilornis has not 

 a little the look of Spizixos, but pertains to a different family, 

 the former having a distinct subterminal notch to each mandible. 



Now for a few comments on ' The Ibis.' But first, while I think 



