Letters, Extracts, and Notes. 555 



epidermal siieath in a bird living in the Gardens in 1898 

 (P. Z. S. 1898, p. 900} ; but although the i)resent specimen 

 had been carefully watched during two successive moults in 

 ]\rarch and October 1911 (P. Z. S. 1912, p. 60), no sign of 

 this process had been observed. The bird, however, Avent 

 through another complete moult in March and April of the 

 present year (1912), and shortly after this was completed 

 the epidermal covering of these orange-coloured patches 

 became loose and finally fell off; the pieces somewhat resem- 

 bled the wing-cases of a large beetle, being semi-transparent 

 and of a clear orange-colour. 



Additions to the British Bird-List. — In the number of 

 ^British Birds' for October last (vol. v. p. 124) Mr. M. 

 J. NicoU records the occurrence of a small flock of the 

 Slender-billed Curlew (Nunumius tenuirostris) on llomncy 

 ]\Iarsh. Three of them were "obtained" and examined by 

 Mr. Nicoll. This is a new addition to the British List, 

 but the bird occurs in the Mediterranean in the Avinter not 

 ui.frequently. 



In the same Journal (v. p. 12C) Dr. Hartert separates the 

 English form of the Green Woodpecker as Picus viridis 

 JIuvius. He considers that " not less than five forms of this 

 bird may be distinguished in Europe alone," and proposes 

 to name the Italian form Picus viridis jjr onus. 



In No. 1 of the 'Scottish Naturalist' for this year 

 Mr. Eagle Clarke announces the occurrence of a Pine- 

 Bunting {Emberiza leiicocephula) at Fair Isle on October 

 30th, 1911. This intruder from the East is quite new to 

 the British List. The occurrence in Enghmd of authentic 

 specimens of the "VVhite-collared Flycatcher {Miiscicapa 

 collaris) and tl.e Thrush Nightingale [Dautias luscinia) are 

 also recorded in ' British Birds ' for February last. 



Mr. TVolIastcn's Neiv Expedition to Neio Guinea. — The 

 Committee of the B. O. U. have by no means given up their 

 l)lans for the further exploration of New Guinea and its 

 ■wonderful avifauna. Mr. A. J. R. Wollaston, a member of 



SER. IX. VOL. VI. 2 Q 



