202 Letters, Extracts from Correspondence, Notices, ^c. 



classed among the Cypselida rather than the HirundinidcB*. 

 We forbear^ at present, to quote any of Mr. Newton's notes 

 respecting these birds, in the hope that before many months 

 are passed he will be able to furnish a more complete account 

 of their habits. 



Mr. W. H. Simpson's last letters from Greece, dated ^tolia, 

 Feb. 29th, announce the taking of a nest of Bonelli's Eagle 

 [Aquila bonellii) and of some eggs of Pelicanus crispus, concerning 

 which he promises further particulars. Mr. Simpson hopes to 

 be able to pass the spring in the Dobrudscha, which is said to 

 offer an excellent and almost unexplored field for the naturalist. 



The Zoological Society of London have just received in their 

 Gardens in the Regent's Park two living examples of the cele- 

 brated Shoe-bird or Whale-headed Stork [Balceniceps rex) . These 

 birds were reared by Mr. John Petherick, H.B.M. Consul for 

 the Sudan at Khartoum, from eggs obtained on the Bahr el 

 Gazal and hatched under hens of the domestic fowl. One of 

 them is a strong bird, and likely to do well ; the other (a younger 

 specimen) is, we fear, rather weakly. Two examples of the splendid 

 Stork, Mycteria ephippiorhyncha, as well as other individuals of 

 the genus Balceniceps were lost during the long journey from 

 Khartoum to London. 



Mr. S. Stevens of 24 Bloomsbury Street, has at present on 

 sale a series of birds collected at Smyrna and its vicinity by 

 M. J. G. von Gonzenbach, amongst which are fine examples of 

 Gypa'etus barbatus, Buteo leucurus, Accipiter sphenurus, Siita 

 syriaca, Garrulus melanocephalus , and other interesting species. 



With reference to the notes on Buteo erythronotus (p. 26) in 

 our last Number, Mr. J. H. Gurney has called our attention to 

 the fact that, according to the testimony of d'Orbigny, the 

 " deep-red back " there spoken of as " characteristic of the 

 adult " is assumed by the female only of this bird. 



* See ' Ibis,' 1859, p. 458. 



