Oct. 21, 1886] 
terms with each other. Mr. Henry thinks they are 
probably of Malay origin, but his argument, based on the 
names by which they call themselves, appears somewhat 
weak. It is more probable that we shall know nothing of 
the ethnology of the Lis until that of the Lolos, the Miaousy 
Ius, and many other tribes of Southern and South- 
Western China and Tonquin, has been studied. Whether 
the Lis have a common origin with one or all of these, or 
with the aborigines of Formosa, must for the present 
remain in the region of conjecture. But there can be 
no manner of doubt that, in the words of Mr. Henry, 
Hainan promises much of interest to the traveller and 
scientific investigator, in its striking natural features, in 
its imperfectly known flora and fauna, and in the ques- 
tions that arise as to the race, religion, and probable 
destiny of its aboriginal people. 
GIGLIOLI’S “ AVIFAUNA ITALICA” 
Avifauna Italica. Elenco delle specie di uccelli sta- 
tionarie 0 di passaggio in Italia, colla loro sinonimia 
vulgare, e con notizie piu specialmente intorno alle 
migrazioni ed alla nidificazione. Compilato dal Dottore 
Enrico Hillyer Giglioli, &c. 8vo, pp. 626. (Firenze, 
1886.) 
A SHORT time ago (NATURE, June 24, p. 168) we 
noticed the new “ Check-List ” of North American 
birds issued by the American Ornithologists’ Union, and 
took occasion to refer to the corresponding “ List of British 
Birds” compiled by a Committee of the British Ornitho- 
logists’ Union, and published by that Association in 1883. 
We have now before us a copy of a similar publication 
upon the birds of Italy, prepared, however, under some- 
what different circumstances. 
At the International Ornithological Congress held at 
Vienna in 1884, which was attended by delegates from 
nearly all the civilised nations of the world (with the 
strange exception of Great Britain !), Italy was worthily 
represented by Prof. E. H. Giglioli, of Florence, well 
known as one of the most learned and enterprising zoo- 
logists of that country, and for the excellent series of 
Italian vertebrates which he has collected together in the 
museum under his charge. In consequence of the re- 
commendations contained in the report presented to the 
Italian Government on the results arrived at by the Con- 
gress, it was determined to constitute an “ Ornithological 
Office” in Italy under the Ministry of Agriculture, and 
Prof. Giglioli was made Director of the new Department. 
In compliance with the resolution passed at the Interna- 
tional Ornithological Congress, one of the new Director’s 
first tasks was the compilation of a standard list of 
Italian birds, or “ Avifauna Italica,” as it is here shortly 
termed. 
In preparing their various lists of native birds, the 
delegates at the Congress were invited to follow as a 
model the catalogue of Austro-Hungarian birds, lately 
issued by Messrs. vy. Tchusi zu Schmidhoffer and y, 
Homeyer. But Prof. Giglioli could not altogether 
acquiesce in this recommendation, and, perhaps wisely, 
preferred to adopt the systematic classification already 
employed for his series of birds in the collection of 
Italian vertebrates at Florence already spoken of, which 
is in fact by far the most nearly complete collection of 
NATORE 
593 
the kind existing in the Italian kingdom. Besides the 
correct scientific appellation of each bird, and what is 
considered as its standard Italian name, Prof. Giglioli 
has also taken great pains to give all the vernacular 
terms by which each species is known in the many and 
various Italian dialects. These are in some cases very 
numerous, as will be seen on reference to such species as 
Lanius excubitor and Merops apiaster, and, although of 
less interest to foreign naturalists, will make the list of 
greater value to the native student of Italian birds— 
whose assistance is specially required in ascertaining 
many yet unknown particulars concerning the range, 
times of migration, and mode of nesting of the various 
species. 
As regards the limits of the Italian avifauna, it would 
seem that Prof. Giglioli is an “ Irredentist” of the most 
extreme type. Not only does he include Corsica and 
Malta within the Italian zoological region, for which, 
no doubt, he has every show of reason, but also the 
Trentino, Istria, and Dalmatia. It is difficult to under- 
stand why the line should be drawn at Dalmatia, or why 
it should not also just as well include Montenegro, 
Epirus, Greece, and even Macedonia! This so-called 
“Ttalian Region” is divided by Prof. Giglioli into three 
provinces, namely,a Northern Continental, anda Southern 
Continental Province, separated from each other by the 
line of the Apennines, and an Insular Province, consist- 
ing of Sardinia, Sicily, and the Maltese Islands. 
Not only has our author been very liberal in the extent 
of country assigned to the Italian Ornis, but, in our 
opinion, he has also somewhat unduly increased the 
number of species included in the avifauna by the ad- 
mission of some of very doubtful authority. The occur- 
rence of Aguila nipalens?s within Italian limits, for 
example, does not seem to be supported by any certain 
evidence. The same may be said of Caprimuleus asiati- 
cus, Chelidon cashmiriensts (!), Cottle obsoleta, Dendro- 
cygna javanica, and at least half a dozen other species 
in Dr. Giglioli’s list. It would seem, therefore, that the 
number of species (443) assigned to the “ Avifauna 
Italica” in the present work may have to be slightly 
diminished, although, on the other hand, future re- 
searches will doubtless result in the discovery of many 
additions to the series of occasional visitants. 
Strange to say, one of the most recent and noteworthy 
additions to the list of permanently resident Italian birds 
has been made by an English ornithologist. In 1883 
Mr. J. Whitehead discovered in the pine-forests of Central 
Corsica, a nuthatch perfectly distinct from every other 
known European species, and for the nearest ally of 
which we must go to Asia Minor. This nuthatch has 
been named after its discoverer, Sitta Whiteheadi. It is 
quite possible, therefore, that not merely more stragglers 
from other parts of Europe, but even new endemic spe- 
cies, may still have to be added to the Italian List. 
After finishing his general catalogue, Prof. Giglioli goes 
into a general discussion of the Italian avifauna, and gives 
the number and names of the various categories into 
which the 443 species assigned to it may be divided. 
The permanent residents are stated to be 207 in number, 
the summer visitants to be 69, and the winter visitants 36. 
Those of regular passage are only 9 in number ; those of 
irregular passage, 8. Besides these, 28 are set down as 
