Recent Ornithological Publications. 423 



type of Fulica alba of White's Voyage*, and the Gallinula alba 

 of Latham. This bird has been considered by Temminck and 

 G, R. Gray to be an albino variety of the well-known Porphyria 

 melanotus ; but Herr von Pelzeln regards it as certainly distinct, 

 and probably referable to a second species of the highly inter- 

 esting quasi-extinct genus Notornis. Of the original type of 

 this genus (the Notornis mantelli of New Zealand), but two spe- 

 cimens, we may remark, are known to exist, both of which are 

 now in the British Museum. 



4. American Publications. 



The following extract from the ' Proceedings of the Academy 

 of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia' for March 20th last will be 

 read with interest, and explains itself: — 



" Dr. Leidy announced (p. 86) the presentation by Dr. T. B. 

 Wilson of his entire collection of birds, amounting to 26,000 

 mounted specimens and 2000 skins. 



" Mr. Cassin said, in relation to the presentation of the collec- 

 tion of birds now in the Museum of this Academy by Dr. T. B. 

 Wilson : — 



" The collection of birds in the Museum of the Academy has 

 been regarded for some years as the collection of this Academy, 

 and is extensively known and referred to as such by authors and 

 naturalists. The donation this evening, so liberally and cha- 

 racteristically made by Dr. Wilson, involves only a change of 

 ownership, or transfer of title, with the further important con- 

 sideration, that it secures the collection to the Academy, as in- 

 tended by Dr. Wilson, in perpetuity, and without contingency. 



" Previous to this donation the collection has been accumu- 

 lated from various sources, since 1845, with great judgment, and 

 with constant and unremitted exertion on his part, and also on 

 the part of his brother, Mr. Edward Wilson, long resident in 

 Europe. The latter-named gentleman has most ably and suc- 

 cessfully seconded his brother in the greatest enterprises ever 

 entered upon in America, having for their object the promotion 

 of the zoological sciences and of general natural history. The 

 results mainly have been, at this period, the formation of the 



* White's Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales, p. 238 {cum tab.). 

 VOL. II. 2 G 



