Birds. 315 



Marocco, etc.) Purchased. [74. 10. 12, 1-13 ; 74. 11. 11, 1-7 ; 75. 4. 20, 

 1-10; 75. 6. 24, 1-8; 75. 10. 15, 1-10; 75. 11. 6, 1-13.] 



50 birds from Colorado, Central and South America. Purchased. 

 [76. 2. 29, 1-39 ; 76. 12. 15, 1-11.] 



70 birds, 20 new to the collection, from New Guinea, mostly collected 

 by Leon Laglaize, and Bruiju's hunters. Purchased. [76. 12. 17, 1-2 ; 

 78. 2. 9, 1-47 ; 78. 3. 29, 1-5 ; 80. 6. 8, 7-12 ; 88. 4. 3, 1-10.] 



37 birds from Central America ; two species being new to the 

 Collection. Purchased. [80. 12. 15, 1-37.] 



40 starlings from Marocco. Purchased. [89. 1. 24, 1-40.] 



148 birds from the Kiocour collection. Purchased. [89. 5. 30, 

 1-148.] 



Mr. Boucard acquired this celebrated collection, which contained many 

 of Vieillot's types, and we went in company to see it in the museum attached 

 to the Chateau of the Riocour family at Vitry, near Chalons. All the 

 birds were mounted, and among them were specimens of the Great Auk 

 and the extinct Starling of Mauritius {Fregilupus varius). 'I'his, and all 

 the types of Vieillot that I could identify, were added to the National 

 Collection. The Chateau, which had been occupied by the Germans 

 during the war of 1870, had been but little damaged by them, and was a 

 beautiful place. The old servants were quite overcome with grief at 

 seeing the dismantlement of the museum, which had been valued as 

 a priceless possession by the old Comte de Riocour. I have never seen a 

 collection more carefully pi'otected from the glare of the sun, and the 

 specimens were all in first-rate condition, even though some had been 

 mounted for the best part of a century. The MSS. notes by Vieillot, 

 Bonaparte, Jules Verreaux and the Comte de Riocour himself were most 

 interesting. The transporting of the Fregilupus to England caused me 

 no little anxiety, seeing that it was infinitely more valuable than a Great 

 Auk, and I was glad when I handed it into Dr. Giinther's custody, as I 

 had not quitted my hold of the case for some days and nights. 



34 birds from Madagascar and the Comoro Islands. Purchased. 

 [90. 1. 30, 1-34.] 



75 birds from the Molucca Islands, Australia and South America. 

 Purchased. [91. 2. 12, 1-75.] 



Boucard's early collections in Mexico were described by Dr. Sclater 

 (see P.Z.S., 1857, p. 226 ; 1858, p. 95, 294; 1859, p. 369; 1860, p. 250). 

 He afterwards settled in London, and was a very successful agent, from 

 whom the Museum acquire^! some valuable collections, especially from 

 Central America, New Guinea, and Madagascar. He made a special 

 study of Humming Birds, and published his own journal, the " Humming 

 Bird," in which he wrote a monograph of the Trochili. Gradually he 

 amassed a fine private collection of birds, all of which he presented to the 

 Paris Museum, where the Boucard Collection is kept separate, and is 

 invaluable for reference. He also i)repared a hand-list of birds, which he 

 published as a " Catalogus Avium." 



In 1904 he presented to the Paris Museum a second large collection of 

 birds, comprising many species not contained in his first donation, and he 

 was appointed Curator of the Boucard Collection for his life, which 

 unfortunately was then near its close. He gave 10,000 specimens to the 

 U.S. National Museum at Washington, and about 8,000 more to the 

 museums of Lisbon and Madrid. An obituary notice of this excellent 

 naturalist appears in the " Ibis" for 1905, pp. 299, 300. 



Boundary Commissions. 



Afghan Boundary Commission. See AlTCHisON, J. E. T. 



