242 Letters, Announcements, 6fc. 



difficult to shoot on account of its remarkable diving powers. 

 I was fortunate enough to procure three fine specimens — two at 

 Halt Bay, and one at Porto Bueno in Magellan's Straits. 1 

 see that Dr. Cunningham was disappointed in his search for 

 Coots. I never met with any, although Captain King seems to 

 have found them plentiful in some of the Patagonian channels. 

 And now, leaving the interesting shores of Patagonia, which 

 recall to my mind pleasant days too soon passed away, let me 

 return to old Europe, whose Ornis, though so well worked out, 

 always presents some interesting fact. On the 12th of February 

 last a magnificent specimen of the rare Bernicla ruficollis (Pall.) 

 was shot between Scarperia and Borgo San Lorenzo, twenty- 

 two miles or thereabouts from Florence. It was an adult male 

 in full plumage; and this, I believe, is the only well-authenti- 

 cated case of the occurrence of this rare eastern Goose in Italy. 



I am, &c. H. H. Giglioli. 



Chislehurst, Kent, March 23rd, 1869. 

 Sib, — In a collection of birds' skins obtained in the island 

 of Java, I have found examples of Lanius superciliosus, Lath., 

 and L. magnirostris, Less., thus disposing of all doubts* 

 as to the existence of these two species in that island. The 

 first is not materially distinguishable from my Hakodadi ex- 

 ample formerly figured in this Journal (1867, pi. v. fig. 2), nor 

 from Malaccan specimens which I have lately seen. This species, 

 therefore, possesses a wide range, and is probably migratory. It 

 is the same as " L. phoenicurus, Pall.," of Schrenck (Reisen im 

 Amur-Lande, i. p. 384) ; but I have not as yet been able to de- 

 termine whether he has rightfully identified Pallas's species. The 

 examples of L. magnirostris in no way diflfer from Malaccan and 

 Sumatran individuals; the titles consequently of L./eroa:, Drap. 

 and L. crassirostris, Kuhl, must fall to the rank of synonyms. 



I am, &c. Walden. 



We have received a letter from Dr. Brewer with regard to 

 some remarks which appeared in the last volume of this Journal 

 * Cf, Ibis, 1867, pp. 219-222, 



