Letters, Announcements , ^c. 129 



tober 1846, besides about twenty reported as seen, but not 

 noted down, as somewhat doubtful. 



I am, faithfully yours. 

 Great Cotes, Ulceby. John Cordeaux. 



December 6th, 1875. 



Sir, — Through the kindness of Mr. Edward Newton, I 

 have had an opportunity of examining an adult pair of Circus 

 maillardi, recently brought by that gentleman from the island 

 of Reunion, where, I understand from Mr. Newton, they 

 are rapidly becoming scarce in consequence of a reward 

 being given by the local authorities for their destruction. 



In ' The Ibis ' for 1875, I have given at page 229 some 

 particulars tending to show that the race of Circus maillardi 

 inhabiting Reunion is somewhat smaller than that found in 

 Joanna Island. 



Having only seen male birds from the latter locality, my 

 comparison has been limited to that sex; but the result is 

 confirmed by the measurements of Mr. Newton^s Reunion 

 male, which I here give in juxtaposition with the other mea- 

 surements, previously published but here repeated for the 

 sake of comparison : — 



Wing, from 



carpal joiut. Tarsus. 



Adult males — in. in. 



From Reunion, in the collection of Mr. 



E. Newton 14-3o 3-25 



From Reunion, in the Leyden Museum, 



as measured by Mr. Sharpe 14*1 3"35 



From Joanna Island, in the Norwich 



Museum 16-8 3-65 



Also from Joanna Island, in the Nor- 

 wich Museum 16'8 3-62 



In the notice of the two males from Joanna Island, in 

 'The Ibis^ for 1875, some particulars are given at page 230 

 of the coloration of the tail and upper tail-coverts, to which 

 I would refer, and at the same time would mention, for com- 

 parison, that in Mr. Newton's Reunion male the rectrices are 

 grey, but have acquired a brownish tinge where exposed to 

 the action of the weather ; one of the middle rectrices sho\YS 



SER. III. VOL. VI. K 



