502 Letters, Announcements, i^c. 



was still more beautiful, the bill and head being like the common 

 Guinea-fowl." 



The Spurwinged Goose from the Shire River, lately men- 

 tioned by Captain Sperling (Gw^ea,p.292), reached the Zoological 

 Gardens alive, and in good condition, on the 9th of April last, 

 and turned out to be an example of the true Plectropteribs 

 gamhensis {of. P. Z. S. 1868, pp. 261, 262). The very distinct 

 [non obstante Schlegelio !) P. rueppelli appears to be peculiar to 

 the interior of East Africa. P. gamhensis has bred this year in 

 the Society's Gardens for the first time. The eggs are white 

 when fresh, smooth and shining, more like those of a Shelldrake 



than of a Goose. 



I am, &c., 



P. L. SCLATER. 



11 Hanover Square, Sept. 2, 1868. 



Through the good offices of our friend Mr. E. L. Layard, 

 Mr. C. Fairbridge, of Capetown, has most kindly sent us a com- 

 plete copy of the ' South African Journal,' the rarity of which 

 we mentioned in our last number [antea, p. 270), as well as of 

 the ' Report ' of Sir Andrew Smith's celebrated Expedition. 

 We understand also that the same gentleman, with almost un- 

 exampled liberality, has presented another complete copy of the 

 ' Journal ' to the Zoological Society, which, as we before stated, 

 possessed only an imperfect one. We are consequently able to 

 add to our bibliographical notes on this periodical. " No. V." 

 of the Original Series, though called that for " October 1831," 

 bears 1832 as the date of publication on its wrapper. Its pagi- 

 nation begins at page 9 and extends to page 140. "No. 2, 

 part 2," of the Second Series extends from pages 129 to 160, 

 and it contains the descriptions of five new species of birds by 

 Sir Andrew. But what very much increases the value of Mr. 

 Fairbridge's handsome gift is the fact that all parts of this copy 

 of the journal are still in their original wrappers, and thus we 

 learn that the Second Series was " published in monthly parts," a 

 piece of information which the work does not otherwise afford. 



In further illustration of Sir Andrew Smith's labours upon 



