Letters, Extracts, Notices, tVc. 589 



as upwards of 1300 species belonp^ to the rich avifauna of that 

 country. Prof. Nation says that he has met with examples 

 of 41 species of birds within the ancient walls of Limn. 



Neiv Australian Expedition. — We learn from the ' Victorian 

 Naturalist ' that an expedition^ fitted out by Mr. Calvert for 

 the purpose of completing the work of the Elder Expedition 

 of 1891, has left Adelaide by sea for the north, and will 

 start from Derby, on the north-west coast, and work in an 

 easterly direction towards the Overland Telegraph line at 

 Powell's Creek. As Mr. G. A. Keartland (late of the Horn 

 Expedition) accompanies it as zoological collector, we may 

 be sure that due attention will be paid to the class of Birds. 



Bvller^s ' Birds of New Zealand.' — We are glad to learn 

 that there is an increasing demand in the colony for 

 the ' Birds of New Zealand/ some private copies having 

 realized fancy prices at recent sales by auction. This speaks 

 well for the growth of science in our remote dependency, 

 and, as further evidence of this, the Legislature has voted a 

 substantial sum towards the cost of a new ' Flora of New 

 Zealand,' Sir Joseph Hooker's classic work having long been 

 out of print. It is understood that the colonial authorities 

 were most anxious to induce Sir Joseph to undertake a new 

 edition of that work, but, owing to the great advance made 

 .in that department of science, it would have necessitated 

 practically the re-writing of it ; and, with the large demands 

 upon his time in other directions. Sir Joseph was compelled 

 to decline. He recommended that the task should be 

 entrusted to a local botanist of repute. Professor Kirk, who 

 has accordingly undertaken the work. Instead of bringing 

 out a third edition of his ' Birds of New Zealand,' Sir Walter 

 BuUer has, wisely, we think, decided to produce a good 

 handbook in octavo form, without coloured plates, but pro- 

 fusely illustrated with woodcuts. We have no doubt that such 

 a volume would have a large sale, not only in the colony, but 

 elsewhere. 



