464 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



We believe that we are not abusing the cor idence of Mr. 

 George Robert Gray when we announce, as we do w J\a the greatest 

 pleasure, that that veteran ornithologist has i the press a 

 ' Hand-List of Birds/ the first part of whicL is expected to 

 appear shortly. We understand that it is intended to include 

 the scientific name of every species of bird which is to be found 

 recorded, and references to the best figures that have been 

 given of the different species. It will be at once evident that 

 the labour of preparing such a work must of necessity be enor- 

 mous; and accordingly no one will be surprised at learning that 

 the spare time of the author has been entirely devoted to it for 

 many years. When it is finished, not the least part of its utility 

 will be that it will form a catalogue for every ornithological 

 collection or Museum in the world. 



More than two years ago we mentioned (Ibis, 1866, p. 214) 

 that our friend Mr. D. G. Elliot had a Monograph of the 

 Phasianida in preparation. Various causes have hitherto hin- 

 dered him from bringing this out — chief among them being 

 that his time was fully occupied by the publication of his 

 ' Birds of North America,* which is now completed, and he at 

 length returns to his former design. We have seen the series 

 of drawings by Mr. Wolf which have been executed for this 

 undertaking, and we can truthfully declare that they are among 

 the best productions of that great master. 



We regret extremely that the former and the present number 

 of ' The Ibis ' should appear without our customary " Notices 

 of Eecent Ornithological Publications" — the more so as the 

 past six months have been unusually prolific in works bearing 

 on our study. Such notices, however, could only have been 

 inserted to the exclusion of original matter which we are sure 

 our readers will join with us in regarding as of greater im- 

 portance ; and we trust in our number for next January to clear 

 off^ the arrears — heavy though they be. 



