Letters, Announcements, ^c. 117 



species of the same genus^ but not H.pelagicus. Two species 

 of Rissa [R. hotzebui and R. brevirostris) occupy the coast in 

 countless numbers. 



46. Stejneger on the Genus Cepphus. 



[Remarks on the Species of the Genus Cepphus. By Leonhard Stejne- 

 ger. Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1884, p. 210.] 



Mr. Stejneger^s chief points are that a black-winged Guil- 

 lemot allied to Cepphas (intellige Uria) carbo occurs in the 

 North Atlantic, and that Cepphus mcindti is the ordinary 

 species of White-winged Guillemot in North America, al- 

 though C. grylle may also occur there. A synopsis of all the 

 species is added. European ornithologists are requested to 

 examine and report upon the supposed examples of the pro- 

 blematical C. motzfeldi in the British and Leyden Museums. 



47. Travers on the Organic Productions of New Zealand. 



[Some remarks upon the distribution of the Or^ifanic Productions of 

 New Zealand. By W. T. L. Travers. Trans, and Proc. New Zealand 

 Inst. xvi. p. 401.] 



This essay contains some good remarks on the distribution 

 of the species of birds in the different islands of New 

 Zealand. 



X. — Letters, Extracts, Announcements, ^c. 



We have received the following letters addressed to the 

 Editors of 'The Ibis :^ — 



Smithsonian Institution, 



November 28, 1884. 



Sirs, — I take great pleasure in corroborating Mr. Stej- 

 neger's remarks concerning the " Shedding of the Claws in 

 the Ptarmigan and allied Birds," as I had abundant oppor- 

 tunity of observing it as a fact while travelling recently in 

 Labrador and Ungava. 



Yours &c., 



LuciEN M. Turner. 



