578 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



112. Py craft on the Wing 0/ Archseopteryx. 



[The Wing of Arehceopteryx. (Illustrated.) By W. P. Pycraft, 

 M.B.O.U. Natural Sci. viii. p. 261.] 



Mr. Pycraft now replies to Dr. Hurst^s theory that the 

 wing of Archaopteryx possessed five digits, and, it must be 

 allowed, very effectually, so far as the evidence to be obtained 

 from the only two speciaiens of this fossil bird yet discovered 

 is available. He concludes with a useful " summary of the 

 characters of Arch(eopteryxj" and gives with it an illustration 

 of the supposed appearance of this remarkable organism, 

 after the fossil in the Berlin Museum. 



113. Report of the Societij for the Protection of Birds. 



[Society for tlie Protection of Birds. Founded February 1889. Fifth 

 Annual Rejjort, January 1st to December 31st, 1895. 8vo. 1896.] 



We notice the fifth annual report of the Society for the 

 Protection of Birds in order to say that in our opinion this 

 excellent association deserves support from members of the 

 B. O. U. and from every lover of birds. Its terms of member- 

 ship are not onerous, and we hope that all our readers will send 

 in their names and subscri[jtions. The Society ^s main object 

 is to discourage the wanton destruction of birds, and to excite 

 an interest in their protection, while the present fashion of 

 ladies wearing feathers in their hats is specially and rightly 

 assailed. On this point we may state that several ladies had 

 the audacity to flaunt feathers at a recent meeting of this 

 very Society, and that this piece of cynicism was still more 

 apparent at a meeting of the Anti-vivisectionists. 



114. Richmond on a new Plover. 



[Description of a new Species of Plover from the East Coast of Mada- 

 gascar. By Charles W. iiichnioud. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, x. 

 p. 53.] 



Mr. Richmond bases JEgialitis thoracica upon five speci- 

 mens in the U.S. National Museum, and selects as its type 

 an example obtained by Dr. Abbott in June 1895 at Loholoka 

 on the east coast of Madagascar. It is most nearly related 

 to M. varia (Vieill.), but differs from it in the presence of a 

 black pectoral band and in other points. 



