176 THK VICTOHIAN NATURALIST. 



Birds of British India. — We have received from the author, 

 Mr. E. R. Skinner, St. Mary Cray, Kent, England, " A List of the 

 Birds of British India," published in pamphlet form (44 pages, 7 

 X 4^ in.) at IS. id., post free. The list enumerates some 1,687 

 species, or over 900 more than the vernacular list of the Austral- 

 asian Association (1886). The vernacular name of each bird is 

 given, and, as may be imagined, so many species provide some 

 rather complicated names — e.g., Black-breasted Yellow-backed 

 Sun-bird ; but names indicative of local origin are very few. The 

 systematic arrangement is somewhat different to our Australasian 

 list, which is based on the British Museum Catalogue. The list 

 under notice commences with the Passeres, which is the largest 

 order, and claims more than half the total species. This order 

 contains some very large families and sub-families ; thus the 

 Brachypodinse — bulbuls — contains 70 species, many of which 

 have four-worded vernacular names. Another large family 

 is the Sylviidaj — warblers ; in this 90 species are listed, some with 

 equally long common names — e.g., White-throated Flycatcher- 

 Warbler. Of flycatchers there are 51 species, and of finches 40. 

 India is well known as the stronghold of the Phasianidae 

 (pheasants), 75 being enumerated, 14 of which are silver 

 pheasants. The parrot family, Psittaci, is comparatively small, 

 only 18 species occurring in India. In a hurried glance through 

 the list one Australian species was noticed — No. 1,420, Esacus 

 magnirostris, Australian Stone-Plover. The list is based on 

 Messrs. Blanford and Oates's work on the birds of India, and has 

 evidently been prepared in a very careful manner. It may be 

 mentioned that the familiar bird of our streets is recorded as the 

 " Black-headed Myna," and while the only species of its genus 

 (Temenuchus), there are twenty other mynas. 



The Hutton Memorial Research Fund. — It has been deter- 

 mined by the scientific societies of New Zealand to establish a fund 

 in memory of the late Captain F. W. Hutton, F.R.S., president 

 of the New Zealand Institute, for the purpose of encouraging 

 original research in natural science in New Zealand. Than 

 Captain Hutton perhaps no man has done more to increase our 

 knowledge of the geology, zoology, and botany of New Zealand, 

 and an appreciative notice of his work appeared in The Emu 

 for January last. Dr. Chilton, Canterbury College, Christchurch, 

 has undertaken to act as hon. treasurer of the fund, and 

 it is requested that subscriptions be sent to him as early as 

 possible. 



