286 Scientific Intelligence. 



tion of Falco magnirostris, Gmelin, — so does the young Cymindis 

 uncinatus, Illig. All authors, however, except Dr. Latham, clearly 

 understand the F. magnirostris to be the bird figured in Enl. 464, which 

 is a common South American species of the genus Astur. 



Dr. Latham, in his article on F. magnirostris, Gen. His., vol. 1, p. 

 282, gives a description of a bird suspected by him to be the species 

 intended by Gmelin, which applies very well to Cymindis cayanensis, 

 Gm., in young plumage, but not to C. Wilsonii. 



I have named this species in honor of Dr. Thomas B. Wilson, as a 

 slight tribute to his merits as a man, and his munificence as a patron of 



_ A _ 



zoological science. 



of 



-±. uruuuteai new gvnas uj jjirus auiza w jrarus ; uy vv m. uaiudcu, 



(from an article on the Birds observed in Upper California, Proc. Acad. 

 Nat. Sci. Philad., iii, 154, Feb., 1847.)— Bill short, tapering to the 

 point, acute and compressed. Both mandibles entire, ridge of upper 

 elevated, and curving nearly from the base ; the depression for the 

 nostrils large, oval and exposed ; the nostrils opening beneath a mem- 

 brane in the depression. Wings very short and much rounded. Tail 

 very long and graduated. Tarsus long. 



Chamceafasciata, Nobis. Ground Tit. 



Parusfasciatus, Nobis, Proceed. Acad. Nat. Sci., vol. ii, p. 265. 



This interesting bird, placed provisionally among the Titmice, I have 

 now made the type of a new genus, not being able as yet, to find a 

 suitable place for it, among those already described. 



For several months before discovering the bird, I chased among the 

 fields of dead mustard stalks, the weedy margins of streams, l° w 

 thickets and bushy places, a continued, loud, crepitant, grating scold, 

 which I took for that of some species of wren, but at last found to pro- 

 ceed from this wren-tit, if it might so be called. It is always difficult 

 to be seen, and keeps in such places as I have described, close to the 

 ground ; eluding pursuit, by diving into the thickest bunches of weeds 

 and tall grass, or tangling bushes, uttering its grating wren-like note 

 whenever an approach is made towards it. 



But if quietly watched, it may be seen, when searching for insects, 



in 



to mount the twigs and dried stalks of grass sideways, jerking its l° n 

 tail, and keeping it erect like a wren, 'which, with its short wings, I 

 such a position it so much resemhles. At the same lime uttering a 

 very slow, monotonous, singing, chickadee note, like pee pee pee p ee 

 peep; at other times its notes are varied, and a slow whistling, contin- 

 ued pwit, pwit, pwit, pwit, pwit, pwit, may be heard. Again, in pie* 8 * 

 ant weather towards spring, I have heard them answering one an0, ^ r ' 

 sitting upon a low twig, and singing in a less solemn strain, not u" llK 

 a sparrow, a lively pit, pit, pit, tr r r r r r r r, but if disturbed, at one 

 resuming their grating scold. 



IV. Astronomy. 



1. New Planet.— On the first day of July, 1847, at I0 h 30 m p-*' 

 Mr. Hencke, (the discoverer of the planet Astrcea,) residing at DrieS *| 

 in East Prussia, discovered a star of about the ninth magnitude* 



marked on the Berlin Star Chart. Its place was 257° 6' 7" »• ** 



