730 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



130. Reiss on Migration across the Andes of Ecuador. 



[Zum Vogelzuge auf die Hochgebirge von Ecuador. Nacb W. Reiss 

 mitgetheilt von O. Finsch. Aquila, xii. (1905).] 



Dr. Finsch calls attention to the fact that Dr. Reiss, on 

 his journey across the Andes from Riobamba in Ecuador to 

 Macas, ascertained that large flocks of birds (Snipes, Ibises, 

 Herons, and others) cross the pass of Atillo (10,000 feet) 

 every year from east to west, and that multitudes of them 

 perish on meeting a very severe contrary blast of wind near 

 the summit of the pass, so much so that their bodies are 

 collected by the natives in quantities for food. A return 

 migration from west to east takes place a few months later. 

 That birds should be driven by furor migratorius to cross a 

 pass of this great altitude seems to be a new fact, and worthy 

 of further enquiry. 



131. Report of the South African Museum for 1905. 



[Report of the South African Museum for the Year ending 31st Decem- 

 ber, 1905. Presented to both Houses of Parliament by command of H.E. 

 the Governor, 1906.] 



This Report contains an account of the work performed 

 by the Director and his staff (of nine officers) during the 

 year, and gives a list of the additions made to the collec- 

 tions in the various Departments during the same period. 

 In the Department of Vertebrates four accessions to the 

 collection of birds are specially noticed — an example of the 

 rare Night-Heron (Nycticorax leuconotus) from Durban, a 

 specimen of Allen's Reed- Hen {Porphyrio alleni) from 

 Touws River, a further consignment of 138 South African 

 birds' eggs presented by Major Sparrow, and a series of 210 

 birds from the Zambezi Valley in N.E. Rhodesia, presented 

 by Dr. F. E. Stoehr, of the Geodetic Survey. A specimen 

 of a Sun-bird [Nectarinia hilimensis) from the diftrict of 

 Melsetter^ Southern Rhodesia, was obtained by purchase. 

 This species is new to the South-African list. 



We notice with regret that Mr. W. L. Sclater has 

 resigned his post as Director of the South African Museum, 



