Letters, Notes, Extracts, fyc. 213 



B. O. C. xv. ]). 4-5), Thalassogeron layardi will certainly belong 

 to it, being closely allied to T. cautus, and shewing the 

 membranous band of soft skin which separates the cul- 

 minicorn from the latericorn and is characteristic of that 

 group. 



The new specimen of T. layardi is labelled "male" and 

 appears to be quite adult. 



I am, Sirs, yours &c. 

 South African Museum, w L ScLATER> 



Cape 1 own. 

 September 20th, 1905. 



[If Mr. Sclater will look at the last number of 'The Ibis' 

 (which he had not seen when he wrote his letter) he will find 

 (p. 559) that it has now been decided by Mr. Ogilvie-Grant 

 and Mr. Rothschild that Thalasscgeron layardi is the same 

 as Diouiedea cauta of Gould, described in 1840, and must 

 therefore bear the latter name. It is of great interest 

 to have a second record of this fine Albatros on the South- 

 African coast. — Edd.] 



Sirs, — You may like to hear that all is now well with our 

 Expedition. We have had a good journey up here from 

 Port Lamy — quite an easy one after the Lake-Chad troubles. 

 We are leaving to-day to explore the Ba-mingui, but the 

 country (formerly the happy hunting-grounds of Rabeh 

 and Senoussi) is now uninhabited, so that the food-supply 

 will be a difficult question. We hope, at present, to get up 

 the river for five days' journey and then return to our base 

 here, whence we may proceed to Yakoma on the Ubanghi. 

 I have not heard from England for a long time, but I have 

 received rumours that the fishes of the Expedition sent 

 home have turned out well. 



My bird-collection now numbers nearly 1400 specimens. 

 I have met with some very interesting species. 1 hear that 

 the doctor with the Chevalier Expedition collected Birds. I 

 hope that his array was not a formidable one. My birds 

 have not been sent to the British Museum, as you know mv 



