Recently published Ornithological Works. 453 



abstract of the contents of these two very interesting numbers 

 is, we think, not necessary. Readers of ' The Ibis ' must 

 read ' The Auk ' also. But we will offer a few remarks on 

 one or two points. 



We must confess that Mr. Stejneger makes an effective 

 reply (p. 118) to our argument (Ibis, 1883, p. 116) about 

 Plectrophanes , which term, it must be conceded, is strictly a 

 mere equivalent of Calcarius. We had not noticed that 

 Meyer, when he first instituted Plectrophanes, in 1815, con- 

 tinued to place the Snow-Bunting under Emberiza. The 

 " strictly correct " generic term for the Snow-Bunting is con- 

 sequently Plectrophenax . But must we always do what is 

 " strictly correct " ? Our sense revolts against the wholesale 

 changes of familiar names which Mr. Stejneger seems to 

 take a special delight in bringing forward. 



Mr. Lawrence describes (p. 180) a new Pigeon from the 

 island of Granada, N.S., as EngtjjJtila wellsi. 



In No. 3 Mr. Stejneger describes a new Gull, Larus 

 schistisagus [? L. affinisl, from the Commander Islands 

 (p. 231); and Mr. Henshaw another new Gull, L. nelsoni, 

 from Alaska. 



72. R. Blasius on the Ornithological Congress at Vienna. 



[Erstev internatioBaler Ornithologen-Congress in Wieu. Von Dr. R, 

 Blasius. Monats. d. deutscli. Vereins zurn Schutze d. Vogelwelt, 1884, 

 No. 5.] 



Dr. R. Blasius gives an account of the Ornithological 

 Congress at Vienna in April last, which seems to have been 

 attended by representatives of almost all civilized countries 

 except England and America. The President was the 

 Marquis v. Bellegarde, the Vice-President Dr. Gustav 

 Radde of Tiflis. Three Sections were formed : — (1) For 

 the consideration of an International Law for the Preserva- 

 tion of Birds; (2) For the question of the Origin of the 

 Domestic Fowl ; (3) For the establishment of Stations for 

 the Observation of Birds over the whole Morld. The pro- 

 ceedings of each Section are shortly given. 



