G24 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



with very short condensed descriptions, which it is hoped will 

 enable students of bird-life in South Africa to identify any 

 strange specimens they may meet with. The list is founded 

 partly on Keichenow's ' Vogel Afrikas ' and partly on Stark 

 and Sclater's volumes, to both of which works references 

 are given. The present part deals with the Waders, Ducks, 

 and Sea-birds, and will no doubt be fouad very useful by 

 all South African ornithologists. 



Mathews on Australian Birds. 



[The Birds of Australia. By G. M. Mathews. Vol. iv. part 2, 

 pp. 81-192, pis. 210-223. London (Witherby & Co.) : Feb. 1915.] 



This part of Mr. Mathews's work continues the Anseri- 

 formes with the genera Anas, Virago, Querquedula, Spatula, 

 Malacorhynchus, Stictonetta, Ni/roca, Erismatura, a.nd Biziura, 

 and then proceeds to the Pelecaniformes, as far as the 

 Cormorants are concerned. The author appeals for further 

 particulars of the life-histories of the birds, even of the 

 commoner forms, where the information leaves much to be 

 desired. 



He now uses Anas superciliosa rogersi for both the 

 eastern and western Australian forms of the Black Duck, 

 and upholds the subspecies against Messrs. Rothschild and 

 Hartert, while he takes the opportunity (pp. 91-93) to 

 animadvert upon what he considers inaccuracies in several 

 other points of their work. 



He holds to Virago of Newton for Nettion castaneum and 

 N. gibberifrons, and suggests that the solution of the puzzling 

 question of these two species may be solved by admitting 

 that both sexes of the former, when fully adult, have the 

 metallic green head and chestnut breast, though immature 

 birds probably resemble V. gibberifrons, here denominated 

 rogersi to distinguish it from the extralimital forms. 

 Querquedula querquedula and Spatula clypeata are recorded 

 for Australia with great doubt. 



The generic name Erismatura is used in place of his former 

 choice of Owyura, on account of the priority of Oxyurus, 



