Volumes of the B. M. Catalogue of Birds. 329 



Nostrils basal, situated in a large unossified groove, which is 

 quite soft and membranous, longitudinal, and with a well- 

 developed coriaceous operculum ^^ (Gadow,/.c.p. 127). Ea^ ore 

 tuo tejudico. The species of the genus Glycych(era (abolished 

 by Mr. Gadow), and those of CEdistoma and Melilestes (also 

 abolished), constitute a very natural group of theMeliphagidse, 

 and must be accepted as proposed in my work. 



Among the nine plates illustrating this volume we find 

 one (pi. iv.) of Ptilotis marmoruta, already figured in the 

 ' Birds of New Guinea/ so that the figure of one not yet 

 represented would have been more useful. 



After having seen Mr. Gadow's volumes, I have come to 

 the conclusion that the authorities of the British Museum 

 were not well advised in entrusting him with that ornitho- 

 logical task. A work like the ' Catalogue of the British 

 Museum ' should be done by an experienced ornithologist, 

 and not by an occasional one, like Mr. Gadow. I know that 

 those authorities have been influenced by the wish expressed 

 from different sides of having the great work accomplished 

 in a shorter time ; but the good or the best possible execu- 

 tion of the work should not be sacrificed to that desire. No 

 human work is perfect, and I know that but too well, having 

 failed more than once ; but in any case the work should be 

 assigned to a competent person. No doubt in the volumes 

 of the Catalogue prepared by INIr. Sliarpe there are also 

 mistakes ; but still one sees that they have been done by a 

 competent person and a thorough ornithologist. 



I shall conclude by expressing my opinion that it would 

 have been much better if the volumes of the Catalogue not 

 prepared by Mr. Sharpe had been published with his revision 

 and under his responsibility, and I hope that this will be 

 done in future. In this way we may expect to have, besides 

 other advantages, the necessary uniformity in that great 

 undertaking, the ' Catalogue of the Birds.' 



&ER. V. VOL. II. 



2b 



