Recent Otnitlio logical Publicatium. 223 



Drummond-Hay (Ann. and Mag. N. H. xiii. p. 13). M. Gran- 

 didier gives (pp. 85-88) a list of supposed new birds discovered 

 by himself in Madagascar; but he was unfortunately premature 

 in sending home the diagnoses of some of them, as a later note 

 (pp. 254!-25G) from him testities. However, Nisus polleni, 

 Ellisia lantzi, E. chloropetoides, Coua cuquereli, C. cursor, and 

 C verreauxi appear to be new. He subsequently publishes 

 (pp. 318-321, 353-360, 385-392, 417-420) a series of papers 

 (concluded in the volume for the preseut year) on the " Oisiaux 

 observes a Madagascar, de 1865 a 1867," a title which, we must 

 take the liberty of remarking, does not seem to us to be literally 

 accurate, inasmuch as certain species are included in the list 

 {Hijpherpes corallirostris for example) which do not appear to 

 have been " observed " by the author, or, indeed, by any other 

 naturalist within that period ; and, at the same time, the list, as a 

 list of the birds of Madagascar, is incomplete, several species being 

 omitted the occurrence of which in the island is incontestable. 

 Respecting the new species introduced by the author, we do not 

 like to give any decided opinion ; and we cannot help wishing 

 that M. Grandidier had exercised a like forbearance as regards 

 species described by other naturalists. He would thus have 

 been spared the assertion (R. Z. 1868, p. 5) that Anas melleri 

 (P. Z. S. 1864, pp. 487, 488, pi. xxxiv.) is probably only a 

 variety of A. boschas, and that he does not believe it to have been 

 " nouvelle pour la science." He says he has only seen female 

 specimens of it ; but in truth the sexes scarcely differ in plumage. 

 On the other hand, we believe M. Grandidier to be quite right in 

 identifying Hylophurba ruticUla (P. Z. S. 1865, pp.326, 327, pi. 

 xiii.) with Calicalicus madagascariemis (Linn.). M. Marchand 

 continues (pp. 33-37, 138, 139, 322-324) his Catalogue of the 

 birds of the Eure-et-Loir, and M. Vian (pp. 129-138, 174-176, 

 199-208) his " Canseries Oi-nithulogiques," the latter treating 

 of Aquila noiviuides and A. navia, Falco peregrinoides (sc. F. 

 barbarus, Linn.), and Emheriza passcrinn. M. Jules Vcrreaux 

 also contributes (pp. 169-174) a list of birds collected in Northein 

 China by Mgr. Perny, of which two aic new, — Picas pernii 

 (pp. 271,272, pi. xvi.) somewhat resembling P. cathphariust, but 

 differing in its whitish rumj), a black band extending down its 



