360 Recent Ornithological Publications. 



Mr. Wallace's remarks in a separate communication {antea, 

 p. 318). 



5. American Publications. 



The din of arms around Washington does not seem to deter 

 Prof. Baird from his peaceful labours at the Smithsonian Insti- 

 tution. He has lately printed and widely distributed a list 

 of the desiderata of the Smithsonian collection, as regards the 

 birds of Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies. This 

 is, we believe, preparatory to the completion of a catalogue of 

 the birds of this portion of America, which Prof. Baird has had 

 for sometime in preparation. Though the list is not very long, 

 considering the number of species exhibited in the complete 

 Ornis of these regions, it would take up too much space for our 

 Journal. We must, therefore, request such of our readers as 

 would like to possess it to apply to Prof. Baird, who will forward 

 it by post to any one who takes an interest, or who may be in- 

 clined to assist him in the task he has before him. 



Mr. D. G. Elliot, of New York, has now published the sixth 

 part of his * Monograph of the genus Pitta,' to the progress of 

 which we have on several occasions alluded, together with a 

 supplementary part, in which the preface, title-page, &c., arc 

 given, and the whole work brought to a conclusion. The total 

 number of plates is 31, each of which illustrates a species of the 

 genus, — Pitta crassirostris of Wallace alone being unfigured, as 

 Mr. Elliot is unable to assure himself of its distinctness from P. 

 irena. A table showing the geographical distribution of the 

 species is given after the introduction. Mr. Elliot separates the 

 Pitta into two groups. The first of these, Brachjurus, in which 

 the tail is short and rounded, contains the greater number of the 

 species. The term Pitta he reserves for the second section, with 

 the more elongated and cuneate tail, of which only thi'ee species 

 are known. We believe Mr. Elliot has correctly included in his 

 work all the known species of the group, except the two new 

 species from Bangka lately described by Prof. Schlegel (see 

 «!/i^6'«, p.359). We cannot but congratulate Mr. Elliot upon 

 the determined way in which he has brought his work to a 



