180 Letters J, Announcements, ^c. 



and the Laniidse and Paridse by Dr. Gadow^ whom we are 

 glad to welcome to England to aid ns in our ornithological 

 labours, Mr, Gould, it is stated, has in progress a volume 

 of illustrations of the srenus Pitta. 



Expeditions in pror/ress and projected. — From our Foreign 

 ]\Iember, Dr, Finsch, we have just received a seventh orni- 

 thological letter, which will be given in our next number. He 

 is now in Matupi Island, Blanche Bay, New Britain, where he 

 will probably remain some time. Our excellent Secretary, 

 Mr. F, DuCane Godman, is away with Mr. Elwes, on a trip 

 to Sikkim, in which, although not projected with any orni- 

 thological object, birds will, no doubt, not be lost sight of. 

 Canon Tristram will leave England very shortly, in conduct 

 of a learned party, for Palestine, where again, although orni- 

 thology is but a subordinate object, we may be quite sure that 

 our energetic coadjutor will not fail to note every bird that 

 he comes across. Later in the spring. Canon Tristram will 

 make an excursion into Eastern Syria and the valley of the 

 Upper Euphrates, where he expects to be just in time to find 

 Geronticus calvus breeding*, and will, no doubt, meet with 

 other rare birds. Professor Balfour, who has so successfully 

 explored Socotra, is now meditating an expedition into the 

 interior of Arabia from Aden, in company with Capt. Hunter, 

 the Assistant Political Resident at that port. Professor 

 Balfour^s main object will of course be the plants; but he is 

 endeavouring to make arrangements to take a zoological col- 

 lector with him into this unknown and highly interesting 

 district. Major Biddulph, whose excellent notes on the 

 Birds of Gilgit we give in this number, has returned again 

 to that very dangerous station, only to be besieged, it seems, 

 by the unruly natives. Now that order is restored, he will 

 be able to resume his most interesting ornithological obser- 

 vations. Mr. W. A, Forbes has, as many of our readers 

 know, returned safely from his trip to Pernambuco, and pro- 

 mises us an account of his adventures for our next number. 



* Cf. Ibis, 1880, p. 88. 



