Letters, Announcements, S^-c. 121 



Netv Works in Preparation. — The fourth volume of the 

 British-Museum Catalogue of Birds by Mr, Sharpe is uow 

 far advanced^ and will contain the Campephagidse, Muscica- 

 pidoe, and allied families. Mr. Seebohm, we believe^ has 

 undertaken the catalogue of the Sylviidse and some allied 

 groups ; and other specialists are named as likely to assist 

 in the preparation of future volumes ; so that, we trust, the 

 somewhat melancholy anticipation which we have previously 

 indulged in as to the epoch of the completion of this gTcat 

 Avork may be disappointed. 



The Stricklandian Curator at Cambridge is devoting him- 

 self to a catalogue of the collection under his charge ; whilst 

 his co-editor, as will be seen by the announcement inserted 

 next to our cover, has projected a monograph on the Jaca- 

 raars and Puff-birds, to occupy his spare time. 



Obituary of Mr. H. Durnforcl. — Mr. Henry Durnford, 

 whose unexpected death at Salta, in Bolivia, was announced 

 in the last number of ^The Ibis,^ was born and educated 

 at Eton, where his father was for many years a master. 

 His Eton career cannot be said to have been particularly 

 brilliant, though he always managed to hold his own credit- 

 ably in the school, and laid up a considerable store of 

 general knoAvledge. The love of animals, which from the 

 days of his earliest childhood was his ruling passion, seemed 

 to increase with years, and his great object as a boy was to 

 surround himself with every sort of living creature he could 

 get hold of. 



At the age of 18 he entered a mercantile house in Liver- 

 pool. Here he remained for five years. Notwithstanding 

 the nature of his employment, he still managed to find time 

 for his favourite pursuit ; and the pages of his diary, portions 

 of which appeared from time to time in the ' Zoologist ' 

 (1872, 1873), testify to the ardour with which he devoted 

 himself to natural history. 



Ornithology was Henry Durnford's special hobby ; and 

 whilst at Liverpool he contrived, under considerable difii- 

 culties, to make himself well acquainted with most of our 



SEK. IV. VOL. III. K 



