Recently published Ornithological IVorkn. 411 



west of Unalaska. It is "apparently most nearly allied to 

 L. rupestris nelsoni of Unalaska and the Sluimagin Islands, 

 but distinguished fi'ora all the Ptarmigans of the western 

 hemisphere by its entire white and black plumage/' Lufjo- 

 pus rupestris townsendi is a new subspecies from Kyska and 

 Adak Islands of the Aleutian chain. 



78. Finsch on the Avifauna of Neiv Zealand. 



[Charakteristik der Avifauna Neu-Seelands, als zoogeographisclie Pro- 

 vinz, in ihren Veriinderungen und deren Ursaclien. Von Dr. O. Finsch. 

 ' Globus,' Band Ixix. Nr. 2 bis 4, 1890.] 



This is a popular essay on the Avifauna of New Zealand, 

 written by our friend Dr. Finsch for the geographical journal 

 ' Der Globus.' The author treats of the remarkable extinct 

 forms first, and then of the existing avifauna. We observe 

 that the two illustrations of birds introduced in the text are 

 both copies of woodcuts prepared by Mr. Smit for works 

 published in this country. We think that the source from 

 wliich they were taken might have been acknowledged. 



79. Fisher on Hawks and Owls considered agriculturally. 



[Hawks and Owls, from the Standpoint of the Farmer. By A. K. 

 Fisher, M.D. Reprinted from the Year-book of the U.S. Dept. of Agricult. 

 1894, p. 21-5.] 



We are always glad to receive fresh evidence as to the 

 evil effects of upsetting the balance of nature by the destruc- 

 tion of birds of prey, and could wish this subject were as 

 well put before us in this country as it is in America. We 

 fully agree with Dr. Fisher that " Hawks and Owls are 

 mostly beneficial." Tliere are, no doubt, occasional excep- 

 tions, but whatever gamekeepers may do, farmers should 

 carefully preserve all of them. As regards the land, the 

 little evil they do is far exceeded by the good. 



80. Hartlaub on Birds recently Extinct or likely to become so. 

 [Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der ausgestorbenen Vogel der Neuzeit 



sowie derjenigen deren Fortbestehen bedroht erscheint. Von Hr. G. 

 Hartlaub. Abh. naturw. Ver. Bremen, xiv. Heft 1.] 



Our Foreign Member and much valued contributor, Dr. G. 



SER. VII. VOL. II. ."2 o 



