Recently published Ornithological Works. 85 



of Agriculture^ Industry, and Commerce is a model of com- 

 pilation, being clear without unnecessary length, and con- 

 densed without the omission of a single important point in 

 the varied discussions which took place. Some of these were 

 evidently of a rather confused character, several of the dele- 

 gates being far more anxious to ventilate their own (often 

 impracticable) views than to listen to the opinions, or even 

 the remonstrances, of others ; consequently it was at times 

 by no means easy to follow the course of the proceedings. 

 Only to the more moderate of the delegates did it seem to 

 occur that in different countries there is considerable diver- 

 gence of opinion as to whether certain birds are injurious 

 or not ; or that, from the varying nature of their food, the 

 same species may be destructive in places where they pass the 

 summer, and beneficial to the countries which they frequent in 

 winter. M. Fatio went so far as to demand, " in the name 

 of agriculture and of sylviculture, in the name of common 

 right and in the name of humanity, as well as in the name of 

 Switzerland, of the Swiss Society, and of the Society for the 

 Protection of Animals " (!), that the capture of Quails should 

 not be permitted on migration on the shores of the Mediter- 

 ranean, in order that these birds should be allowed to reach 

 more northern regions. It can easily be understood that Dr. 

 Giglioli as the representative of Italy, where Quails are taken 

 in thousands for the supply of the markets of Paris and 

 London, could, with his practical mind, see no chance of such 

 a notion receiving attention from the Italian Government. 



13. Kirk on Variations in New-Zealand Birds. 



[Notes on some New Zealand Birds, exhibiting curious Variations of 

 Colour. By T. W. Kirk. Trans. & Proc. New Zealand lust. vol. xvii. 

 p. 60.] 



Mr. Kirk records the occurrence of partially albinoid varie- 

 ties in several species of New-Zealand birds — Glaucopis 

 wilsoni, Ardea pceciloptila, Anas chlorotis, and Ossifraga gi- 

 gantea ; also a variety of Nestor meridionalis , similar to that 

 on which the Nestor svperhus of Buller was founded. 



