Letters, Announcements, S^c. 303 



Plate 31 applied to one species, adopting Edwards^s view that 

 they were male and female of the same species. The cha- 

 racters given by Linnaeus no doubt apply strictly to the left- 

 hand figm*e ; but we may also consider them to represent cha- 

 racters common to both, reference to the black throat being 

 omitted in the one case just as reference to the white throat 

 is in the other. In fact, Linnseus's M. stapazina may be 

 looked on as a composite species ; and it was competent for 

 the next author to restrict the term and say what bird M. 

 stapazina meant. This Vieillot did by calling Edwards's left- 

 hand figure albicollis, and referring the right-hand one to 

 stapazina of Linnaeus. 



Had Mr. Dresser adopted this view of the case he would 

 not have been under the necessity of changing the application 

 of a name by which a well-known bird has been recognized 

 for upwards of 55 years, and thereby rendering it impossible 

 for future writers to indicate certainly what species they 

 intend by the name Saxicola stapazina. — O. S.] 



Vienna, 21. Opernring, 

 May 30th, 1874. 



Sir, — In 'The Ibis' for April 1874, Dr. Sclater gives a 

 notice about " the new Paradise-birds and their discoverers," 

 and says that I " ought to have cancelled my redescription of 

 Epimachus ivilhelmina in the ' Journal fiir Ornithologie,' and 

 that its appearance, without reference toD'Albertis's discovery, 

 requires explanation, failing which it can only be regarded as 

 an attempt to obtain an unfair priority." 



These remarks, involve a heavy accusation, which honour 

 compels me to answer ; so I trust you will pardon my laying 

 before you and your readers the following statement : — 



1. When returning from my New Guinea trip I published 

 at Batavia, in Java, in the ' Tijdschr. voor Ned. Ind.,' a short 

 description of my Epimachus wilhelmince. 



2. On my arrival in Europe I heard of a new Bird of Pa- 

 radise, and sent immediately a copy of the description of my 

 new bird to the editor of the ' Journal fiir Ornithologie,* at 



