304 Recent Ornithological Puhlications. 



range of fifty or sixty miles from the coast. Even there they are 

 so rare that, though I looked out for them constantly, I killed 

 but three in all my expeditions. They are not gregarious, like 

 the Guinea-fowl, but wander through the woods — a male, and 

 one, or, at most, two females in company. They are very watch- 

 ful, and fly off to retreats in the woods at the slightest alarm.'' 



Another remarkable type, for the discovery of which we are 

 indebted to Mr. Du Chaillu's exei'tions, is the Alethe castanea, 

 belonging to the Ant-eating series of the Old World, whieh em- 

 braces Lxos and its allies. Of this bird we find the following 

 notice, p. 273 : — 



" Hunting in the rear of the village, on the 15th, I shot a 

 curious bird, the Alethe castanea, a new species. It is said by 

 the natives to have a devil in it — for what reason I could not 

 discover; probably for none. But its habits make it singular. 

 They fly in a small flock, and follow industriously the Bashikouay 

 ants in their marches about the country. The bird is insecti- 

 vorous ; and when the Bashikouay army routs before it the 

 frightened grasshoppers and beetles, the bird, like a regular 

 camp-follower, pounces on the prey, and carries it off. I think 

 it does not eat the Bashikouay." 



Mr. Du Chaillu likewise confirms (p. 131) what Dr. Hartlaub 

 has previously reported, on the authority of Pel, as to the habits 

 of Gypohierax atigolensis, that they are those of the Fishing-Eagles 

 {Halia'etus) . 



2. French Publications. 



We have seen the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th numbers of MM. 

 Jaubert and Barthelemy La-Pommeraye's ' Richesscs Ornitholo- 

 giques de Midi de la France,' of which we have already noticed 

 the first part (' Ibis,' 1859, p. 201). They contain much useful 

 information to the student of the European Avifauna. 



M. Salle has printed a carefully-prepared sale-list of his 

 Mexican birds*, which we are sure he will willingly forward to 

 any of our correspondents who may desire to consult it. M. 



* l>iste d'Oiseaux a vendre provenant dcs chasses faites en Amerique. 

 Par M. A. Salle, 1.3 Rue Guv de la Brosse, ^ Paris. 



