YOl 'l906 m ] Recent Literature. 353 



We would not for a moment question that where Lafresnaye's material 

 is accredited in the original descriptions to the Paris Museum, or where he 

 was joint author with d'Orbigny in publishing the species of d'Orbigny's 

 Expedition, the true types are those now claimed as such in the Paris 

 Museum. But sweepingly to denounce the alleged types in the Lafresnaye 

 collection as spurious is quite another matter. 



Besides, we believe it is not quite true that the Lafresnaye collection 

 was catalogued and labeled by E. Verreaux before it was placed on sale, 

 and that in this way many specimens were indicated as types that were 

 not types. Our information is to the effect that Dr. Henry Bryant pur- 

 chased the Lafresnaye collection after an examination of it while it was 

 still at Falaise, and not from an inspection of a catalogue; and furthermore 

 that the catalogue was made by Jules Verreaux and not by his brother 

 Eduard, the former being an excellent ornithologist, capable of doing the 

 work with proper discrimination through previous familiarity with its 

 contents, while the latter was merely an intelligent dealer. We are further 

 at liberty to state that for this information we are indebted to Dr. D. G. 

 Elliot, who was in Paris at the time the collection was purchased, and in 

 daily association with Dr. Bryant, and that they were in consultation 

 respecting its value and character. — J. A. A. 



Shelley's 'The Birds of Africa.' — Part I of Volume V 1 contains the 

 families Oriolidse, Sturnida?, and Corvidse (species 647-723). The European 

 Golden Oriole (Oriolus galbula) is, singularly, the only migratory species 

 of these families met with in Africa, the others being non-migratory. 

 Fifty-seven species of Starlings are recorded, of which three are now extinct, 

 and three are introduced species, two of which are from the Indo-Malay 

 regions, and the other is the common Starling, imported from England 

 into South Africa, and which has become firmly established in and about 

 Cape Town. 



The seven colored plates in this part illustrate eleven species, after 

 drawings by Gronvold. It is a pleasure to note the rapid progress of this 

 great work, the scope and character of which have been stated in notices 

 of previous parts. — J. A. A. 



Nash's 'Check-List of the Birds of Ontario.' 2 — The author states: "In 

 the following Check List I have endeavoured to include all the birds which 



1 The | Birds of Africa, | comprising all the Species which occur | in the [ Ethiopian 

 Region. | By | G. E. Shelley, F. Z. S., F. R. G. S., &c. | (late Grenadier Guards), | 

 author of "A Handbook to the Birds of Egypt," | " A Monograph of the Sun-birds," 

 etc. | — | Vol. V. ! Part I. | — | London: | Published for the Author by | R. H. 

 Porter, 7 Princes Street, Cavendish Square, W. | 1906. — Roy. 8vo, pp. i-vi -f- l- 

 163, pll. col. xlxiii-xlix. Price 31s 6d net. 



2 Check List | of the | Vertebrates and Catalogue of | Specimens in the Biological 

 Section [ of the Provincial Museum | Birds | Department of Education | Toronto | 

 [Seal] Toronto | Printed and Published by L. K. Cameron, Printer to the King's 

 Most Excellent Majesty | 1905. — 8vo, pp. 82. Sub-title: Check List of the Birds, 

 of Ontario. 



