508 Notes and Extracts. 



Passeres is by no means justified by facts. The pterylo- 

 graphy, osteology, and myology of the Eurylamidce all tended 

 to shew that the nearest allies of these birds were the 

 Cotingidce. Although undoubtedly primitive, the group, 

 Mr. Pycraft pointed out, presented a number of specialised 

 characters, which were especially marked in the skull and 

 in the muscles of the wing. 



Birds of the Tibetan Expedition. — Capt. II. J. Walton, of 

 the Indian Medical Service, who, as we stated (see above, 

 ]). 293), accompanied the expedition to Lhasa as Naturalist, 

 has arrived in London, and is engaged in working out his 

 collections at the Natural History Museum. He has brought 

 from the district round the Tibetan capital a good scries of 

 birds, some 500 in number, referable to, perhaps, 1.20 species, 

 amongst which are some interesting novelties. We are 

 pleased to be able to state that Capt. Walton is engaged 

 in preparing a memoir on this interesting collection for 

 publication in this Journal. 



The Fourth International Ornithological Congress. — The 

 Fourth International Ornithological Congress (see above, 

 pp. 14-4, 292) commenced its sittings at South Kensington 

 on June 12th and continued them to the end of the week. 

 We hope to be able to give an account of its proceedings in 

 our next number. 



Retrospective Priority in Nomenclature. — In his Presi- 

 dential Address to the Geologists' Association (Proc. Geol. 

 Assoc, xix. p. 70) Dr. A. Smith Woodward has boldly stated 

 his opinion that " since the fatuous fad of retrospective 

 priority became fashionable the naming of certain groups 

 has lapsed into inextricable confusion, and that until 

 common sense methods prevailed a serious obstacle was 

 thus opposed to real scientific work." 



