492 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



New Work on Caff e- Birds. — Dr. Anton Reichenow^ of the 

 Berlin Museum, has commenced a new illustrated work on 

 foreign cage-birds, under the title ' Vogelbilder aus fernen 

 Zonen/ It is published by Th. Fischer, of Cassel, and the 

 draAvings are by Mutzel. The first part is devoted to the 

 Parrots, 



Socotra. — "We are glad to say that there is some prospect of 

 our shortly obtaining some insight into the zoology of Socotra. 

 The British Association have appointed a committee to con- 

 sider what can be done towards the investigation of this terra 

 incognita, and have made a grant of .€100 for the purpose 

 under their auspices. A very competent naturalist is likely 

 to undertake an expedition there in the coui'se of the ensuing 

 winter. As regards the birds of Socotra, our whole know- 

 ledge at present is contained in a paragraph of Lieut. Well- 

 sted^s Report*, which includes " Bats ^^ and " Cassowaries " 

 in the avifauna. We hope before another year has passed to 

 have some more definite information on this interesting 

 subject. 



We are sorry to hear that the valuable collection of Chinese 

 birds made by our lamented Member, the late Mr. Robert 

 Swinhoe, F.R.S., which contains about 3700 skins, referable 

 to some 650 species, is still undisposed of. It was offered, 

 we are told, to the British Museum, but, as has often hap- 

 pened in such cases, declined. It would be greatly to be 

 lamented if this collection, which contains about 200 types 

 of species first described by Mr. Swinhoe, and the originals 

 of his numerous papers on Chinese ornithology, should pass 

 out of the country. We still hope it will find a resting-place 

 where it may remain accessible, as heretofore, to British 

 ornithologists. 



Obituary. 

 Andrew Anderson, an able and zealous Indian ornitho- 

 logist, and a Member of our Union, who died in July of the 

 * Joiirn, R. Geogr. Soc. v. p. 204 (1835). 



