Letters, Notes and Extracts. 507 
to a synopsis of the Coliide—one of the most characteristic 
and peculiar forms of the Ethiopian Avifauna. Mr. Pycraft, 
after a critical examination of every part of the structure of 
these birds, has come to the conclusion (see ‘ Ibis,’ 1907, 
p. 253) that the Colies, which are admitted by everyone to 
be a very isolated group, have their nearest allies in the 
Swifts (Cypselide). 
The author of the present synopsis inclines rather to 
Garrod’s view that they are related “on the one hand to 
the Picidze, and on the other to the Alcedinide and Bucero- 
tide.” He admits only eight forms of Colius as sufficiently 
distinct for specific rank, although several of these, after 
the fashion now prevalent, have been separated into various 
geographical forms. Thus C. erythromelon has been divided 
into five subspecies, and C. /eucotis into four. 
A coloured plate, drawn by Keulemans, represents Colius 
leucocephalus, and gives details of the structure of some of 
the other species. 
In the 7th Part of the ‘Genera Avium’ Dr. Dubois dis- 
cusses the family Pelecanide, which contains only the single 
genus Pelecanus. Of this group eleven forms are recognised. 
But we cannot agree with the author in ranking the South- 
American P. moline as only a subspecies of P. fuscus. It 1s 
a perfectly distinct species. We are doubtful of P. sharpii 
(of which a coloured figure is given) being anything more 
than a colour-phase of P. onocrotalus. 
Dr. Dubois also gives us in Part 8 a summary of our 
knowledge of the peculiar Ethiopian family Musophagide. 
The author recognises 33 species and subspecies, which he 
places in 7 genera. Two nicely coloured plates illustrate 
the varied forms of this group. 
XXVII.—Letters, Notes and Extracts. 
We have received the following letters addressed “To the 
Editors of ‘The Ibis’ ” :— 
Srirs,—In the autumn of 1905 I had the pleasure of 
meeting, in London, several members of the ‘ Ziegler Polar 
