48 THE VICTOEIAN NATURALIST. 



In America and Europe, where oology is much studied, honour 

 is attached to the person who discovers or describes eggs new to 

 science, and it would be deemed discourteous to detract from 

 such an one honour so gained. I was under the impression that 

 the rule held good here. Dr. Ramsay does not deny that he has 

 described eggs which were previously described without referring 

 to former authorities. Partly in extenuation, he excuses himself 

 by saying I committed similar errors with regard to himself. 

 Now, two wrongs do not make a right. For my own part, if I 

 have so transgressed, I exceedingly regret it, and hereby make 

 full apology, and I hope Dr. Ramsay will be assured that it was 

 neither "culpable negligence" nor "gross unfairness" towards 

 him, but in perfect innocency, and for the want of the reference 

 to which he alludes. Dr. Ramsay says he knows for a fact I was 

 furnished with a list showing the dates of descriptions (in 1874- 

 75) of certain eggs. Up to the present moment I have not 

 received such a list. The only other list I am aware of was 

 recently compiled by Mr. A. J, North, while in Sydney lately. 

 It was received by the Field Naturalists' Club at its meeting in 

 March last, since which date I have described no eggs. That 

 list, however, according to its own title, is far from complete. 

 For the sake of the science we so much love, I trust that this 

 little " wind puff" will at once blow itself into oblivion. — I am, 

 sir, yours truly, Archibald J. Campbell. 



Armadale, nth June, 18S7. 



[We quite admit Dr. Ramsay's right, and shall welcome his 

 exercise of it, to throw any further light he may be able on any 

 forms of Australian vertebrates. We may admit, too, that we 

 paid more attention to the form of his articles than to their titles. 

 But when neither in any of Dr. Ramsay's recent articles, nor in 

 Mr. North's " List of References to Authentic Descriptions of 

 Australian Birds' Eggs," compiled lately in Sydney, has a single 

 reference been made to any of the descriptions of eggs which 

 have been recorded in Ihe Victorian Naturalist, we considered it 

 time to put in a claim that Victorian eggs and Victorian descrip- 

 tions should not be entirely ignored, as lacking " authenticity," 

 in favour of those of the sister colony. But having made our 

 protest, and having published Dr. Ramsay's reply in extenso, we 

 shall be glad that the matter should go no further, and must close 

 this correspondence.— Ed.] 



Erratum. — On p. 27, 1. 23, "species of planets" should, of 

 course, be "special planets." 



Exchange — Shells. — Victorian recent or fossil shells desired 

 in exchange for South Australian, etc. William Thompson 

 Bednall, Register office, Adelaide. 



