Becently published Ornitliolugical Works. 1G3 



Henry Eeles Dresser. 



As we go to press we hear with deep regret of the 

 death of Mr. Dresser on November 28 last, at Cannes. 

 We hope to publish a memoir of him in the next number 

 of ' The Ibis.' 



VII. — Notices of recent Ornithological Publications. 

 Blaauw''s Travels in South Africa. 



[Ornithologische waarnemingen in het zuiden der Kaapliolouie door 

 F. E. Blaauw. ' Ardea,' Leiden, 1915, pp. 1-19, 49-74, pis. ii. & iii.] 



In March last year our fellow -member, Mr. Blaauw, made 

 a journey to South Africa, and in this paper he tells us his 

 adventures and a good deal about the birds he noticed at 

 the different places he visited. 



Landing at Cape Town on the 1st of April, he noticed the 

 European Swallows just getting ready to depart northwards, 

 and mentions many of the commoner birds. Doves and 

 Eobins (Cossypha), Fiskal Shrikes, and (Sparrows. The 

 abundance of the European Starling, only introduced a few 

 years ago, greatly astonished him. Leaving Cape Town by 

 train he travelled via Caledon to Bredasdorp, a village in 

 the south-western part of the Colony, near which is 

 Dr. Albertyn's farm of Nachtwacht, where the handsome 

 antelope^ the Boutebok, still survives, and where it has been 

 carefully preserved for 100 years ; thence travelling back to 

 Caledon and on to Oudtshoorn, where he visited the cele- 

 brated Cango caves, and Mossel Bay, he took ship to Port 

 Elizabeth, East London, and Durban, at all of which places 

 he made excursions and noted the occurrence of the various 

 birds he met with. 



He mentions what does not seem to have been noticed 

 before, the common occurrence of the Indian Mynah (Acri- 

 dotheres tristis) at Durban, where it has been introduced by 

 the Indian coolies. He also mentions one particularly rare 

 bird, Chcetops fr(Bnatus, which he came across near Caledon. 



