Sho7't yofices. 49 



on Aviculture, indicating the important observations wliicli 

 may be made in connection with changes of plumage, moult, and 

 nesting-habits on birds kept in captivity, is also of great value. 



The House Sparrow was finally condemned, and the edict 

 is out against him. 



The CJongress was an unqualified success. 



SHORT NOTICES. 



(1) In the ' Avicultural Magazine,' new series, vol. ii. 

 (1904:) p. 94, appeared an interesting article by Capt. Boyd 

 Horsbrugh, A.S.C, entitled " Some Field Notes in South 

 Africa." The paper gave an account of some species of 

 Birds met with during two years' travelling in the Western 

 Transvaal. 



(2) Attention may be directed to an instructive paper bv 

 Mr. W. L. Sclater entitled " Nature Study for South Africa,' 

 read before the South African Association for tlie Advance- 

 ment of Science at its Meeting in Johannesburg in 1904, and 

 recently published in the Reports of that Society. 



(3) The fourth volume of Shelley's ' Birds of Africa' [The 

 Birds of Africa, comprising all the Species -which occur in 

 the Ethiopian Region. By CI. E. Shelley, F.Z.S., F.R.G.S., 

 etc.] was published in two parts in 1905. It need hardly be 

 stated that this is a most important and valuable work. Jt 

 deals with the Ploceidse (Weaver-Birds), which the author 

 divides into three subfamilies: Viduinne, Estrildinse, and 

 Ploceinaj. 



The first part of vol. iv. describes the two first-named 

 groups, the Viduinse being credited with seven genera and 

 fifty-five species and the Estrildinse with sixteen genera and 

 one hundred and twelve species. The Ploceinae, wiiich 

 form the subject of p;ii-t 2, are dividcij into twenty-five genera 



VOL. II. 4 



