92 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



ging Andersson's 'Notes on the Birds of D am ar aland'*, 

 making a very important addition to the literature on African 

 birds. The number of species mentioned is 428, a large num- 

 ber when the character of the country is taken into considera- 

 tion. Andersson's notes chiefly refer to the localities where 

 he found each species, the colours of the soft parts, as well as 

 the general habits and food. Mr. Gurney has worked out 

 the nomenclature and synonymy ; he has also added a number 

 of useful notes of comparison with allied forms, distribution, 

 &c. The work is full of accurate and valuable information ; 

 and ornithologists are to be congratulated that Mr. Gurney 

 has been able to publish these Notes, imperilled by the la- 

 mented death of their author. In the employment of minute 

 generic subdivision Mr. Gurney has, we think, gone further 

 than a close attention to the definition of genera will allow ; 

 but this is a matter which must ere long force itself upon the 

 more serious attention of ornithologists. We also feel con- 

 strained to enter our protest against some of the generic 

 names adopted. We are far from indorsing the views of 

 those who would admit only such names as have a so-called 

 classic derivation, but Kaupifalco and Hagedashia are alto- 

 gether too barbaric ! 



Dr. Buller has issued four out of the five parts of his work 

 on the birds of New Zealand f, the last instalment consisting 

 of two parts in one. 



These parts contain an account of a number of interesting 

 species, including Notomis mantelli, of which a go^d illustra- 

 tion is given. To nearly every species mentioned a very full 

 life -history is supplied ; amongst them we would draw special 

 attention to Mr. Potts's account of the habits of Anarhynchus 

 frontalis. Our readers will be well acquainted with this sin- 

 gular form from the plate accompanying Mr. Harting's ex- 

 cellent paper on " Rare or little-known Limicolse," published 



* Notes on the Birds of Damaraland and the adjacent countries of South- 

 west Africa. By the late Charles John Andersson. Arranged and edited by 

 John Henry Gurney. London: 1872. 8vo, pp. 394, 3 plates. (Van Voorst.) 



t A History of the Birds of New Zealand. By Walter Lawry Buller, 

 Sc.D. &c. London and New Zealand : Dec. 1872. 4to, plates. 



