Letters, Extracts, Notices, S^-c. 257 



Monzbier, I contributed a uote ou tlie identity oi'Sco/js obsuletus 

 ofCabanis with Scops brucei of Hume, and also on the priority 

 of the latter name ; I am glad to observe that Mr. Dresser, 

 after an examination of JMr. Hume's specimens, confirms this 

 identification at p. 91 of the present year's volume. 



As reference is made at p. 128 of this volume to Mr. E. 

 P. Ramsay's valuable ^Tabular list of Australian Birds,' I 

 may take this opportunity of pointing out that, at p. 36, Mr. 

 Ramsay speaks doubtfully as to the species oiNinox inhabiting 

 Norfolk Island, having apparently overlooked the circumstance 

 of two specimens of Ninox maculata from that island having 

 been recorded by rae in ' The Ibis ' for 1885, p. 139. 



Yours &c., 



J. H. GURNliY. 



64 Hereford lload, Bayswater, 

 January 21, 1889. 



Sir, — With reference to your Note in this month's 'Ibis,' "7 

 stating that Darwin speaks of having seen Penguins at the 

 mouth of the Rio de la Plata in July, I beg to say that during 

 my recent trip in the ' Golden Fleece ' I arrived at Monte 

 Video on July 27tli, 1886, and after a sojourn of some days 

 proceeded up the river some 200 miles to Fray Bentos 

 (Uruguay), returning to Monte Video on the 17th August. 

 During this time I never saw a Penguin. But on looking 

 over my diary, I find, under the date of August 18th, the 

 day after we left Monte Video, before we passed Cape 

 Corrientes, an entry " Penguins reported to have been seen." 



I was always very careful to make a distinction between 

 what I saw myself and what other people saw for me. 



The first time I appear to have seen Penguins on this coast 

 myself was at the mouth of the River Desire, much further 

 south. Yours &c., 



J. Young. 



Meuendeu, 

 January 26, 1889. 



Sir, — Regarding your query in the January ' Ibis,' I may 



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