550 Rcceiithj inihlislied OrnithulogirAil IVurks. [Ibis, 



Birds are sometimes surprised in this way. Mr. Porsild 

 states that Eider Ducks are often seeir crowded by hundreds 

 into very small openings, and they appear to be always able 

 to make their escape; but the Guillemots and Little Auks 

 are not so fortunate. If a Guillemot Savssat occurs near 

 the shore the birds are all captured by the Eskimo ; if the 

 hole be far from any settlement the whole flock gradually 

 perishes by the freezing up of the water. Tlie matter is an 

 interesting one, and the account given by Mr. I'orsild is 

 well worth the attention of ornithologists. 



Rohinson and Kloss on Sumatran Birds. 



[Results of an Expediliun to Koriuclii L'eak, Sumatrn. rait ii, 

 Jjirds, by H. C. IJobinson aud C. Bodeu Klos--. Jouru. Fed. Malav 

 •States Museum.'<, viii. 1918, pp. 81-284, pis. iv.-vii.] 



This is a very important paper and will have to be con- 

 sulted by all students of the avifauna of the Indian Region. 

 It contains the results of an expedition undertaken by the 

 authors in 1914 to the high mountain peak of Korinchi in 

 the western end of Sumatra. 



Large collections of all the orders of Vertebrata were 

 made, and the results will fill the eighth volume of the 

 Journal of the Federated JNIalay States Museums. But little 

 is told us in the present fascicule about the actual journey 

 or about the physical aspects of the mountains^ which rise to 

 about an elevation of 12,000 feet; but a careful comparison 

 is giv(5n between the mountain-avifauna of Korinchi, of 

 Kinabalu in Borneo, and that of the mountains of the ]Malay 

 Peninsula and Java_, the general conclusion being that the 

 relations between the Javan and Sumatran peaks is much 

 closer than to those of Borneo, while in addition to the 

 Javan clement there is a small proportion of s{)ecies of 

 recent continental origin found in the Himalaya and moun- 

 tains of Tenasserini and the Malay Peninsula which have 

 not spread to Borneo aud Java. The greater part of the 

 paper is taken up with the list of species, 186 in number, 

 obtained by the expedition. These are thoroughly discussed 

 with references to Sumatran literature, field and taxouomic 



