368 Recently 'published Ornithological Works. 



Mozambique) have combined to form a common Bureau 

 with head-quarters at Pretoria, and this is their third Annual 

 Keport. 



Various means have been employed for the purpose of 

 destroying the swarms of these terrible insects but, so far as 

 one can judge from the Report, the most efficacious agencies 

 for this purpose are locust-eating birds. 



The leading Locust-birds are undoubtedly the White Stork 

 (Ciconia alba) and the Pratincole (Glareola melanoptera), 

 which are generally known in South Africa as the Greater 

 and the Smaller Locust-bird. 



Other birds which devour large numbers of Locusts are 

 the Kestrels (Tinnunculus naumanni, T. rupicola, and T. rupi- 

 coloides) and the Kite (Milvus agyptius), while the White- 

 bellied Stork (Abdimia abdimii), though a somewhat rare 

 species, ranks very high in favour. 



Starlings of all kinds, especially the Wattled Starling 

 (Dilophus carunculatus *) , Guinea Fowls, and Francolins 

 assist in the work of destruction. 



The reports of the Committee urge the importance of 

 the most careful protection by law of all the Locust-eating 

 birds throughout South Africa, and insist that the laws on 

 this subject, when enacted, should be strictly enforced. 



44. Sharpt's Hand-list of Birds, Vol. V. 



[A Hand-list of the Genera and Species of Birds. (Nomenclator 

 Avium turn fossilium turn viventium.) By R. Bowdler Sharpe, LL.D., 

 Assistant Keeper, Department of Zoology, British Museum. Volume V. 

 London, 1909.] 



In January 1904, we wrote a notice of the fourth volume 

 of Sharpens ' Hand-list.' Most fortunately for the progress 

 of our Science, Sharpe lived to complete this important 

 work by the issue of the fifth and last volume, which is now 

 before us. The Hand-list was planned and commenced in 

 1898, and the first volume published in 1899, so that it 

 has occupied ten years of hard labour, having been composed 



* See Sclater & Stark, B. S. Afr. i. p. 24. 



