420 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



cutta. A few of the former probably remain, but the latter 

 appears to have been lost sight of. When last seen, there were 

 only two females left on Ross Island. I did not observe either 

 species during my visit in 1865. 



The indigenous Corvus, which is common there, and which 

 Col. Tytler considers to be quite distinct from C. culminatus (an 

 opinion in which I fully concur), he proposes to call C. anda- 

 manensis. It is very abundant, flies in flocks, and in appearance 

 is closely allied to the Black Hill-Crow of Simla, C. inter- 

 meclius. Although contrary to the opinion expressed by Mr. 

 Blyth [antea, p. 220, note], there seems, to those who have ob- 

 served its peculiar habits in a state of nature, little doubt of its 

 being a distinct species. 



In conclusion, I may mention that Milvus govinda may be 

 added to the Andamauese avifauna. Two undoubtedly wild 

 examples were shot on Viper Island, and came into the posses- 

 sion of Col. Tytler, who informs me that he had neither intro- 

 duced the species himself nor ever heard of any one else doing so. 

 It is, however, quite within the bounds of possibility that these 

 examples may have been blown over in bad weather from the 

 neighbouring coast of Burmah, where the species is abundant. 



A Nectarinia and an Arachnothera have both been seen, but 

 the species remain to be identified. 



I am, &c., 



R. C. Beavan. 



Shoeburyness, 2nd July, 18G6. 



Sir, — I beg leave to offer a remark on one of Mr. More's 

 notes " On the Distribution of Birds in Great Britain." 



Speaking of Totanus calidris, he says (Ibis, 1865, p. 435), 

 " A few pairs still breed in Kent and Essex ; but the bird is 

 rapidly decreasing in the south, and has almost deserted the 

 fens of the eastern counties." Now, in the low pasture-grounds 

 of the south-eastern portion of this county frequented by Va- 

 nellus cristatus for breeding purposes, Totanus calidris is to be 

 found nesting in about equal numbers. This year I found 

 upwards of a score of nests in a low pasture of a few acres in 

 extent. The nests are most cleverly concealed, being situated 



