Letter*, Extracts, and Notes. 219 



disregarding the principal rule of every code of nomen- 

 clature, viz.. that u name preoccupied in the same genus 

 cannot be used again. 



I think it is unfortunate that ray reviewer did not inves- 

 tigate the points in question, but without regard to my 

 careful statements charged me with accepting " uncertain 

 names, - ' a thing of which 1 disapprove as much as every- 

 body else. 



Tring, Yours &c, 



November L909. EllNST II aktkkt. 



[We may venture to remark that, in our opinion, Motacilla 

 borin of Boddaert, is an uncertain name. Dresser refers 

 it (H. of Europe, ii. p. 38:5) to the Lesser Whitethroat 

 (Sylvia curruca ). — 1m>d.] 



Sirs, — I wish to communicate to you the occurrence in 

 Italy of an interesting bird. 



On May 10th, 1909, 1 received from Dr. Ccrio, along 

 with other small birds, several Wlieatears (Saxicola) that 

 had been captured in the island of Capri in the Gulf of 

 Naples. On examining these Whcatears " in the flesh " 1 

 was surprised to find amongst them an example of the 

 Desert Wheatear {Saxicola deserti) of Huppell. The speci- 

 men is a very fine adult male, in full plumage. It has been 

 sent for examination to Count Arrigoni Degli Oddi, who 

 fully confirms the correctness of my identification. 



This is the third record of the occurrence of this " rara 

 avis " in Italy. The first was obtained in Sicily in 1891, as 

 recorded by Prof. Giglioli in his ' Avifauna Italica ' (p. 130). 

 This specimen is now in the Florence Museum. The second 

 was snared on October 3rd, 1905, near Como in Lombardy 

 (see Martorelli, Uccelli d'ltalia, p. 530), and is now in the 

 Museum of Milan ; and the third is the present specimen 

 ■which is in my collection. 



I am well aware that the Desert Wheatear has been 

 obtained in other parts of the continent of Europe on about 



