396 Recently published Ornithological IVorks. 



from ten to fifteen females, repairs to some suitable breeding- 

 place. As soon as tliey have fixed on a locality, the females 

 separate, and each one proceeds to construct a nest in a thick 

 tuft of grass. The cock meanwhile keeps a look-out from 

 some point of vantage, and spends most of his time in 

 driving off other cocks who attempt to trespass ori the terri- 

 tory occupied by his harem. He takes no part in the con- 

 struction of any of the nests. Should he see a man or beast 

 of prey approaching he flies round with a warning cry, upon 

 which the hens leave their nests, creep under the grass for a 

 short distance, then rise and fly oft' until danger is past.^' 



Similar habits are related of Urobrachya axillaris, Colio- 

 j)asser albo-notatas, and other species of this group. 



We observe that Otoconjs berlepschi is acknowledged as 

 South African in the present volume, but we must confess to 

 grave doubts whether the habitat assigned to this species, 

 " Caffraria,'' can be correct. The nearest species to it geo- 

 graphically is O. atlas of Morocco (Bull. B. O. C. vii. p. xlvii), 

 and it is a " far cry " from Morocco to Caftraria ! 



Many good illustrations will be found in the text of this 

 volume; those of the male Promerops '' showing oft" ^' and 

 of the nest of the Cape Pendnline Tit {/Egithalus capensis) 

 are remarkable. It is to be hoped that the remaining 

 volumes of the ' Birds of South Africa ' will be completed in 

 a similar style, but to find a second Stark will be no easy 

 matter. 



66. Stone on a new Coccyzus. 



[A new Species of Coccyzus from St. Andrews. By Witmer Stone. 

 Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1899, p. 301.] 



St. Andrews Island, in the Caribbean Sea, was already 

 known (see *Auk,' 1887, p. 177) to possess five peculiar 

 species, out of the 19 of which specimens were obtained by 

 one of Mr. Cory's collectors. Mr. Stone now adds a sixth, 

 Coccyzus abbotti, from a small collection made in the island 

 in May 1887 by Dr. W. L. Abbott. 



