136 Amilj/ticid Notices of Books. 



KinjT acknowledges himself indebted for advice and assistance 

 in this department. One of the new species, which is closely 

 allied to the Gracula viridis, Lath., is considered as forming, to- 

 gether with that bird, a new genus provisionally described 

 under the name of Mimeta, with the following characters : 

 " Rostrum forte, subuarcuatum, subcultratum, mandibulis utris- 

 que apice emarginatis ; naribus basalibus, lateralibiis, subovali- 

 bus, membrana partim tectis. Lingua ad sugendum idonea ? 

 jdlee mediocres, rotundataj ; remige Ima brcvissimS. ; 2da et 6(a 

 sequalibus; 3tia et 4ta fere ajqualibus, longissimis ; 5ta his 

 paulo breviori ; remigum 3tia ad 6tam inclusam pogoniis exter- 

 nis in medio gradatim productis. Pedes subbreves ; acrotarsiis 

 scutellatis, scutis quinque ; paratarsiis integris. Cauda medio- 

 cris, fere aequalis." The stability of this genus, Avhich has 

 many external relations with the Orioles, rests entirely on the 

 probability that the tongue is formed for suction. Should this 

 prove not to be the case, the group, it is allowed, must of course 

 fall. The new species described is the M.Jlavocincta, " flavo- 

 viridis, subtus pallidior, capite dorsoque fusco-lineatis, alis cau- 

 daque nigris viridi flavoque variegatis." It differs from the 

 M.viridis in the bill being somewhat higher, and more carinated, 

 in the general distribution of the colours, and in being marked 

 with yellow Avhere the latter bird is white. 



The remaining ornithological novelties relate merely to species. 

 The Ilamafopus picaius " ater ; corpore subtus, fascia alarum, 

 uropygio, caudaeque basi albis ; remigibus primoribus totis ni- 

 gris ; " forms the second addition to this genus recently obtained 

 from Australia. It approaches more nearly to the European 

 species, the U.osfralegus, than to the //./)«//«/^m.v of Temminck, 

 or to the Il.niger of Quoy and Gaimard. The Sterna pelecanoidesy 

 " alba ; capitis vertice nigro albo-variegato ; dorso, alis, rachibus 

 albis," deviates from its own genus, and approaches the Pele- 

 canidfc by the smaller size of the membrane that unites the toes, 

 by the dilatation of the side of the nail of the middle toe, and by 

 the greater proportional length of the wings. The fourth new 

 species Larus Georgii, is thus described, " L. albus, dorso 

 alisque nigris ; rcctricibus albjs, fascia media atrji." 



