Letters, Announcements, ^c. 177 



I may remark that any tolerably strong spirit will do to 

 preserve birds in, but that it will be better, especially in the 

 case of larger birds, to change it two or three times during 

 the first few days that the birds remain in spirit. All that is 

 necessary in the way of preparation is to open the abdo- 

 minal cavity by a slit down the median line, so as to allow 

 the spirit access to the viscera. The viscera should not be 

 removed in any case. 



In default of spirit-specimens, carbolized ones, or skeletons 

 of many of the forms mentioned would be useful ; but spirit- 

 specimens in all cases are to be preferred. The specimens 

 need not, of course, be in good plumage ,• and the wing and 

 tail-feathers, and even others, can be cut short to save space. 

 But, unless the birds are named, enough of the feathers 

 should always be left on to secure identification. 



I may add that I shall be very grateful if some of the 

 many ornithologists resident in India would procure me 

 about half a dozen specimens (adult) of wild-shot Gallus 

 bankiva, in spirits, or even skeletons. As the first part of 

 Prof. Garrod^s treatise is devoted to the anatomy of the 

 Fowl^ it is desirable to have wild specimens of it for dis- 

 section, or at least to describe the bones from them, and 

 not from any of our domestic races. W, A. Forbes. 



The College, Dui-ham, 



Dec. 4, 1880. 



Sirs, — I had been making inquiries as to the birds found 

 on St. Ambrose Island, in the South Pacific, off the coast of 

 Peru, which is rarely visited. I had some hope that some- 

 thing like the fauna of the Galapagos might occur there. 



I hear from a friend who has recently visited it, that there 

 are no land-birds. The only birds procured were speci- 

 mens of CEs/re/a/a defilippiana and Anous caruleus. Of these 

 Lieut. Gunn, R.N., my correspondent, has sent me speci- 

 mens^ together with the eggs of the former. 



Yours &c., 



H. B. Tristram. 



SER. IV. VOL. V. 



