120 Shot't JSutirex. 



important, whether forest, scrub, or grass-land, also the topo- 

 gra])hy and meteorological conditiuns, and any special features, 

 such as rivers, which would tend to cause overlapping in the 

 different regions. The more lists that are made of the birds 

 even in one district the better. 



" It is an immensely interesting subject, and if it was 

 properly worked up I am sure it would be of great scientific 

 value, not only to ornithologists but to botanists and others 

 also. 



" It cannot, of course, be done in a few months, and would 

 probably take some years, and when the time came for 

 publishing the results the South African Association for the 

 Advancement of Science or even the Governments might 

 assist with grants." 



SHORT NOTICES. 



(1) The fourth and final volume of Stark and Sclater's 

 ' Fauna of South Africa : Birds ' was issued from the press 

 early this year. With this publication closes a chapter in South 

 African Ornithological history and a work for which no 

 words of praise can be too high and which deserves the deepest 

 gratitude of every Ornithologist throughoiit the world. 



The scientific and systematic character of the four volumes 

 mark this work as one which must always rank with those 

 other productions upon the Avifauna of great countries which 

 are generally designated as Standard. 



It must not be forgotten that although the rough outline 

 of the scheme and many original notes and collected observa- 

 tions were in the first instance framed and obtained by the 

 late Dr. Stark, and although the proofs of the first volume 

 were actually passed by him through the press, his tragic 

 death threw the whole of the burden of the three succeeding 

 volumes upon the shoulders of Mr. Sclater, to whom, indeed, 

 the praise is by far most due. 



