484 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



naturalist, is especially fitted to write. In arranging his sub- 

 ject the synonymy and references are placed at the end of 

 the volume^ away from the account of each species. This is 

 no practical inconvenience, as a copious index makes refer- 

 ences easy. The number of species recorded as having been 

 found in Cuba is 255. 



XLIX. — Letters, Announcements, S^c. 



We have received the following letters, addressed to the 

 Editors of 'The Ibis: ^— 



Noumea, New Caledonia. 

 May 10, 1879. 



Sirs, — The accompanying extracts from a letter from Mr. 

 Leopold Layard may amuse some of the " brethren,^^ as illus- 

 trating the kind of company into which ornithology brings 

 us ! A previous letter describes the peril they were in on 

 their voyage to Vate (Sandwich Island), whence he writes. 

 " A pitch-dark night, torrents of rain, a sudden drop of the 

 wind, and a strong current setting them on a reef ! " Towing 

 by boats and sweeps saved them. I suspect a badly manned 

 trader would have come to utter grief. 



L. L. writes from Havanna Harbour, May 3rd, " Just off 

 for Tapua^ if possible, and Makiraf certainly. I came back 

 from G.'s yesterday ; had a bad time of it there, as it rained the 

 whole while %, and the bush was impenetrable, last year's hurri- 

 cane having blown down so much, which is now all overgrown 

 with creepers. I got a fine male Ptilopus correi, a My'wlestes, 

 new to us §, Halcyon julice, Cuculus bronzinus, Glyciphila {flavo- 



* " Tapua," or " Tapooa," is one of the Santa-Cruz group, where our 

 dear old friend Commodore Goodenough was killed by the natives. On 

 this island the natives are very friendly. — E. L. L. 



t Makira is a fine harbour in San Cristoval Island, Solomon group. — 

 E. L. L. 



X It has been the same here for more than a month, and I hear the 

 bad weather has extended far and wide over the South-Sea Islands. — 

 E. L. L. 



§ Mr. Ramsay, of Sydney, has described a Myiolestes from the New 

 Hebrides ; but I do not know its name.— E. L. L. 



