Miscellaneous^ 233 



extinct species — extinct, that is, within its limits— and respecting 

 these species it would seem as if no scrap of intelligence has been 

 overlooked, and every clue that offered followed, until the account 

 may he called exhaustive. The value of the information thus given 

 is manifest now, and will year by year increase as an historic 

 record. Yet alongside of the extermination or ratification of many 

 species may be set the consoling fact that there are others which 

 have a happier fate, and, as Mr. Southwell is able to declare, occur 

 and actually breed more numerously in Norfolk than heretofore — a 

 resiilt that in the case of the Gadwall, the Shoveler, the Pochard, and 

 the Tufted Duck he does not hesitate to ascribe to recent legislation 

 in establishing a close time during which the lives of these and many 

 more should be safe. But of the vanished or vanishing species the 

 number must be far larger. The Pelican and the Crane ceased as 

 inhabitants before the time of contemporary records, but the exist- 

 ence of the Cormorant is testified by documentary evidence. The 

 Bustard, as all know, has been banished from this county, its last 

 stronghold in England, and the story of its banishment is told by 

 Mr. Stevenson as it was never told before ; while Mr. Southwell adds 

 an hardly less interesting appendix to it in recounting an attempt, 

 unique in the annals of British ornithology, but unfortunately 

 frustrated by the weather and thus unsuccessful, to induce a fine male 

 that appeared in 1876 to prolong his stay and take to himself a 

 wife, provided by Lord Lilford's thoughtfulness. The Avoset and 

 the Godwit are also gone, and the Buff survives, it is believed, but in 

 one locality ; while those delights of the seaside, the Terns, have 

 only a few remaining haunts, about which Mr. Southwell is dis- 

 creetly vague, since no birds are more exposed to persecution or have 

 everywhere more rapidly decreased in numbers around our coasts, 

 so as to be threatened with extinction. 



Space fails us to enter as we should wish on many other merits of 

 this meritorious work. Seldom can it have been that the place of 

 an author dying with an incomplete book on hand has been so 

 satisfactorily supplied ; and greatly indebted as all British ornitho- 

 logists are known to be to Mr. Stevenson, Mr. Southwell's labours 

 demand, and if we are not much mistaken will receive, no small 

 portion of their gratitude. Let us add that this concluding volume 

 is not only illustrated, but really embellished, by three unpublished 

 plates by Mr. Wolf— a rare thing to see in these days — and one of 

 them, representing the home of the Black-headed Gull on Scoulton 

 Mere, is a picture which must charm anyone with an eye to the 

 beauties of nature. 



MISCELLANEOUS. 



Stray Notes on the Nomenclature &;c. of some British Starfishes. 

 By F. Jeffrey Bell. 



In making a critical revision of the names to be applied to our 

 British Starfishes I have made some slight observations which may 

 be worth publishing. 



Ann. & Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 6. Vol. vii. 16 



