Letters, Extracts, Notices, i^c. 311 



through it knee-deep, searching in it diligently with their 

 bills, much as Waders do. They have a strong musk- 

 like smell, which they chiefly emit when flying, and which 

 remains in the air for a while, so that, if one crosses the 

 space through which they have been flying, the smell is 

 distinctly noticeable. 



Anseranas is, no doubt, a very aberrant form of the 

 Anatidae. 



I am, 



Yours, &c., 

 Gooilust, s'Graveland, Noord Holland, F. E. Blaauw. 



November, 1897. 



Sirs, — I am experimenting in breeding wild species of 

 Pigeons. The wild Rock-Dove I have thus far failed to get, 

 and I understand that they are obtained with difficulty, if at 

 all. Can you tell me what the chances are ? For any 

 assistance or advice I shall be very greatly obliged. 



You may be interested to know that I have a flock of 20 

 Passenger-Pigeons (Ectopistes), and have raised five young 

 ones this season. I have six hybrids between a male Ectopistes 

 and a female Turtur risoi'ius. I am now getting some very 

 fine hybrids between the Common Dove-house Pigeon and 

 the Japanese Turtle-Dove. 



Yours, &c.. 



The University of Chicago, C. O. Whitman, 



December 13th, 1897. 



Sirs, — Having so recently {' Journal of the Asiatic Society 

 of Bengal,' vol. Ixvi. pt. ii. 1 897, p. 523) pointed out, and in part 

 illustrated, certain differences between a Manipur specimen 

 of Phasianus (or Calophasis) humice and a Burmese bird 

 referred by Mr. W. L. Sclater (Ibis, 1891, p. 152) and 

 myself to that species, I was much interested in seeing in 

 ' The Ibis ' (January, 1898, p. 124) Mr. E. W. Oates's assigna- 

 tion of specific rank to Burmese specimens of this form of 

 Pheasant, which he also had previously considered identical 

 with Mr. Hume's bird. 



