Obituary. 365 



Buteo desertorum : The distribution is not well explained ; 

 it is only a migrant to Africa and India, and never breeds 

 there. 



But it is unnecessary to continue these instances ; they 

 are only a few, and there are of course debatable points, 

 which cannot be discussed in this place, as they require 

 further investigation. 



Notwithstanding the inconsistency in nomenclature and 

 non-recognition of certain subspecies, the ' List of British 

 Birds ' is a great forward step in British ornithology. It 

 must be welcomed by everyone interested in the progress 

 of our beloved science as one of the last stepping stones 

 enabling us to reach the highest possible level. 



^IK.— Obituary. 



Philip Savile Grey Reid. 



It is with great regret that we have to announce the death, 

 at the age of 69, of Capt. Savile Beid, which took place at 

 his home, " The Elms/' Yalding, Kent, on March the 1st 

 last. Though he had of late lost some of his interest in 

 ornithology, owing probably to his lameness, from which 

 he suffered during the last ten years, he was at one time 

 much engrossed in the subject, and was often seen at our 

 gatherings and at the British Museum. 



Reid was born at Welwyn, Herts, August 12, 1845, and 

 was educated at Burney's Naval School at Gosport as he 

 was intended for the Navy, but he passed into the Royal 

 Academy at Woolwich, whence he obtained a Commission 

 in the Royal Engineers in 1865. 



During his service at Gibraltar in 1871-3, he made the 

 acquaintance of Col. Irby and was associated with him on 

 many ornithological expeditions. Subsequently, as a result 

 of a stay in Bermuda, he prepared a list of the birds of that 

 group, which was published in the ' Zoologist ' for 1877 and 

 was afterwards republished, with additional notes, by the 



