NOVELTIES. 397 



in some specimens, a faint vinous or biifFy tinge ; axillaries, wing 

 lining and the extreme basal portions of the primaries nearly 

 pure white, as are the primary greater wing-coverts ; primaries 

 black, brownish on their inner webs; secondaries and their greater 

 coverts bronzy brown ; interscapulary region, scapulars, back 

 and lesser wing-coverts black, with in some lights faint greenish 

 reflections ; upper tail-coverts a pinky white or very pale 

 vinous buff; tail feathers black, all but the central pair more 

 and more broadly tipped with white as they approach the exte- 

 rior; the central tail feathers narrowly tipped white, and with 

 a faint metallic reflection. 



This species is quite distinct from all the many species known 

 to me, and if it has not been recently described, it is, I think, 

 new. In the huge bare space behind the eye it approaches 

 nearest to Gracupica nigricollis, but in every other respect its 

 nearest ally is decidedly Sturnia burmanica, though the crest is 

 somewhat less full than in that species. 



By R. BowDLER Shaepe, &o., &c, 



Mr. Sharpe's new volume, containing the Cuckoo Shrikes 

 and the Flycatchers, reached me too late for notice in the last 

 number. 



Like its predecessors, it is a most valuable contribution to 

 ornithology, and widely as many ornithologists will differ from 

 our author, alike as regards the general classification adopted, 

 and the particular conclusions arrived at, no one can deny the 

 enormous value of the work as a whole, or dispute that each 

 successive volume constitutes a new point of departure for 

 scientific ornithology in regard to the families of which it 

 treats. 



As in the case of preceding volumes a very considerable 

 number of the species referred to are Indian, and it possesses, 

 therefore, a special interest for Indian ornithologists. 



It seems useless to repeat that, so far as the text is concerned 

 the book has been got up with the greatest amount of care. 

 Indeed no one, who has not themselves been engaged in similar 

 work, can conceive the enormous amount of wearisome labour 

 that this one volume of less than 500 pages represents, or the 

 vast amount of other people's labour which it is calculated 

 to save. 



But " grieved to condemn, the Muse must still be just," and 

 I am compelled to say that several of the plates are by no 



