Recently published Ornitholoyical Works. 453 



a work of iiulefiiiitc dimensions, wliich, having now readied 

 its twenty-sixth part, hids fair to he the most comprehensive, 

 though not the most liomogcneous, of all the colossal works 

 of the antlior. One new species is described in this part and 

 called Faradoxornis austeni, after Major Godwin-Austen, who 

 discovered the species iu the Naga Hills, near Kuchai, aud 

 at Shillong, in the Khasi Hills. 



In 1865 M. ]Mulsant, in conjunction with the brothers 

 Verreaux, published a small volume entitled 'Essai d'uue 

 Classification ^Nletliodique des Trochilides ou Oiseaux-Mou- 

 chcs^ {cf. Ibis, 1867, p. 126) . In their introduction the authors 

 referred to a forthcoming Monograph of these birds, the pub- 

 lication of which M. ]Mulsant, the sole survivor of the three, 

 has" now courageously commenced*. 



It is contemplated that the whole work will comprise four 

 volumes, each containing four livraisous. Each of the latter 

 will be illustrated with four or five coloured plates containing 

 figures of the chief genera; the total number of plates will 

 therefore be about 72. Should, however, a sufficient number 

 of subscribers be forthcoming, plates figuring all of the 

 remaining species will be issued. 



Though the ' Essai ' contained some serious errors, it had 

 the decided merit of being an attempt to give differential 

 characters for the various genera and higher groups of Tro- 

 chilidtC. 



The new work does the same ; but the primary divisions, 

 as well as the genera, are defined by emphasizing characters 

 not brought into the same prominence in the former essay. 

 The feathering of the base of the beak was first used to form 

 two tribes, " Trochiliens " and " Ornismiens ;" now the shajjc 

 of the tail-feathers is employed to indicate three such groups, 

 culled "Trochiliens," " Lophorniens," and " Ornismiens." 

 The minor divisions are also defined from diff'erent characters, 

 but still the metlnKl of treatment employed in their analysis 



* Histoire Naturelle dos Oiaeaux-Mouches ou Colihiis constituant la 

 ruiuille des Trocliilidt5s. Par E. Mulsaut et feu Kdouaid Verreaux. 

 Ouvrage public par la Society Liimeeuue de Lyon. 4t() Liviaisous 1, 2. 

 Pari^: 1873 4. 



