454 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



of ornithology. Mr. Pycraft has established some good points 

 in his little paper, and has evidently studied the bird's wing 

 to some purpose. He maintains that the "remicle" is 

 attached to the third phalanx of the second digit, and not to 

 the second, as stated by Wray, and discusses well the de- 

 generation of this little feather in certain groups. As regards 

 Phoenicopterus, Wray was again undoubtedly wrong in stating 

 that it is quincubital (cf. Ibis, 1890, p. 81). But we may 

 well excuse an occasional slip in so precise and original a 

 writer. 



We quite agree with Mr. Pycraft that the term " tertials " 

 should be totally abolished, and et inner secondaries " used 

 for the secondaries next to the primaries, which in some birds 

 are much elongated. We trust that this author will con- 

 tinue his studies of the bird's wing. 



91. Records of the Australian Museum. 



[Records of the Australian Museum. Edited by the Curator. Vol. I. 

 No. 1. Printed by Order of the Trustees : E. P. Ramsay, LL.D., Curator. 

 8vo. Sydney: 1890.] 



This is the first number of a " new occasional periodical," 

 intended to contain " the results of original researches " 

 made by the officers of the Australian Museum, " reports of 

 their collecting-expeditions," and " other matter relating to 

 the work of the Museum." Dr. E. P. Ramsay is the editor. 

 Several of the papers in the present number relate to birds. 

 In Dr. Ramsay's report on a zoological collection from the 

 Solomon Islands, seven species of birds are mentioned as 

 obtained in Howla Island, belonging to the Shortland group ; 

 one of these, Pomarea leucophthalma, is described as new. 

 A list is given of the birds obtained by Messrs. E. J. Cairn 

 and R. Grant during their collecting-trips to N.E. Queens- 

 land from April to September 1889. Dr. Ramsay contributes 

 remarks on the occurrence of some rare birds in New South 

 Wales — Piezorhynchus leucotis, Pycnoptilus jloccosus, &c. 

 Mr. A. J. North gives notes on the nests and eggs of Merala 

 vinitincta and Ocydromus sylveslris of Lord Howe's Island, 

 and on the nidification of Heleromyias cinereifrons and 



