Recent Ornithological Publications. 219 



labours. The osteological characters of the different families 

 passed in review continue to be most ably treated by M. Milne- 

 Edwards, in the method we before indicated ; and, so far as the 

 work has proceeded, there is no family mentioned which is not 

 represented at the present day. The author displays a most 

 catholic spirit, and, instead of confining himself (as the title- 

 page would lead one to suppose) merely to the " Oiseaux Fossiles 

 de la France," wisely extends his borders to treat of fossil 

 forms from whatsoever part of the world they may come. The 

 systematic ornithologist will do well to study attentively the 

 facts adduced and the opinions laid down by M. Milne- 

 Edwards respecting the characteristics and affinities of many 

 great groups of birds — the " Longipennes " {Procellariidas and 

 Laridce), " Totanides" {Scolopacida and Charadriida) , "Cico- 

 nides" {Ciconia, Platalea, Ibis, and their allies), "Gruides" 

 {Gruidce), and " Phoenicopterides " {Phoenicopteridce), which 

 last, he, like Prof. Huxley, removes from a place near the 

 Anatidce. The close alliance of the Lai-ida and the large as- 

 semblage of forms so commonly regarded as divisible into two 

 families — Scolopacidcs and CharadriidcB, — so often placed at a 

 distance from each other, can, we think, no longer be doubted ; 

 and we hail with pleasure the concurrence of so high an autho- 

 rity in this view, which we have long believed to be correct 

 (Ibis, 1868, p. 92). The extinct species of which remains are 

 figured in these livraisons are twenty-eight in number*, as 

 follows : — 



" Totanides." 

 Totanus lartetianus. ] 

 TringagraciHs. ( Miocene. 



JNumenius antiquus. I 

 Elorius paludicola. ) 



" Ciconides." 

 Ibis pagana. Tertiary. 

 Ibidopodia palustris. I Miocene. 

 Pelargopsis magnus. j 



" Gruides." 



Grxis excelsa. 



problematica, 



primigenia. " Quaternary. 



> Miocene. 



'* Pkoenicopterides." 



Phcenicopterus croizeti, ) 



Gervms. I Tertiary 

 Palcelodus ambiguus, f ^' 

 goliath. j 



* In our former notice of this work we omitted to mention Dolicho- 

 pterus viator, which, with Hydrornis natato is referred to the Group 

 " Longipennes." 



