January 3, 1008] 



SCIENCE 



23 



sist of eight species. No subspecies are ad- 

 mitted, notwithstanding that all but two of the 

 species have been subdivided, and we think 

 rightly, by recent authors. The nomenclature 

 is not fully up to date, for two of the species 

 have older tenable names than those here used. 

 A new name, Colius hcematonotus, is given, 

 apparently by inadvertence, in the key on page 

 three, to Colius castanonotus Verreaux. Our 

 author refers all the species of this family to a 

 single genus, but, as we have elsewhere shown, 

 TJrocolius Bonaparte, containing Urocolius 

 macrourus and Urocolius indicus C= erythro- 

 melon Auct.), has more than one claim to 

 recognition. The single plate in this part 

 represents Colius leucocephalus and details of 

 two other species. 



The cosmopolitan family Pelecanidse (peli- 

 cans) (part VII.) comprises, according to 

 Doctor Dubois, the single genus, Pelecanus, 

 with eleven forms, three of which he ranks as 

 subspecies. In the case of Pelecanus cali- 

 fornicus, which he considers a race of Pele- 

 canus fuscus (or, as it should be called, Pele- 

 canus occidentalis Linnaeus), he is probably 

 right; but Pelecanus thagus Molina is appar- 

 ently a distinct species. The plate shows a 

 figure of the somewhat doubtful Pelecanus 

 sharpei, together with the heads of four other 

 forms. 



The Musophagidse, or plantain eaters (part 

 Vin.), another characteristic African family, 

 are here referred to seven genera, without sub- 

 families. The largest genus, Turacus, contains 

 twenty-one forms, including several sub- 

 species; but all the other genera are small, 

 none having more than four species. Two of 

 them — Coryihceola and the recently discovered 

 Buwenzorornis — are monotypic. We are glad 

 to see that Doctor Dubois adopts the original 

 form of the generic name Ohizmrhis Wagler, 

 instead of the emendation Schizorhis so much 

 in vogue. No new forms are described in this 

 number. The two plates illustrate nine 

 species. Harry C. Oberholser 



the Museum. There is a new departure in 

 the shape of colored plates, one showing a 

 boulder containing a deposit of precious opal 

 on quartzite, the other the group of wild 

 turkeys recently placed on exhibition. The 

 December number contains accounts of the 

 expeditions made in 1907 to obtain material 

 for bird groups, of the making of an Attn 

 basket, and of an ant-hunting trip to Europe. 

 It also comprises the Index to Vol. Vll. 



The Bulletin of the Charleston Museum 

 for November continues the " History of the 

 Museum " by William G. Mazyck and covers 

 the period from 1798 to 1850. We find here 

 many notable and well-known names, such as 

 Gibbes, Holmes, Holbrook, Baehe, Maury and 

 Twomey. 



Bird Lore for November-December is of 

 unusual interest and contains illustrated 

 articles on " A Thrashing by Thrashers " by 

 Herbert K. Job, " Around the Horn for 

 Petrels" by John T. Nichols, "The Heath 

 Hen " by George W. Field, " A Season's Field 

 Work " by Frank M. Chapman, and the " Mi- 

 gration of Flycatchers " by W. W. Cooke. 

 The number comprises a long and interesting 

 Report of the Work of the Audubon Societies 

 by the President, William Dutcher, and vari- 

 ous Special Agents. This should be read by 

 everyone. 



The Museums Journal of Great Britain for 

 November notes the gift to Bournemouth of 

 the residence and collections of Mr. Cotes to 

 form an Art Gallery, another of the many in- 

 stances where collections made by men of 

 wealth have eventually found their way to 

 the public. W. W. Watts discusses " Some 

 Uses of a Museum of Industrial Art," noting 

 the importance of arousing interest in artistic 

 objects, by showing their historical associa- 

 tions or the conditions under which they have 

 been made. A, B. Meyer presents " Some 

 Notes on the Peacock in Display " showing 

 that the position of the wings may be differ- 

 ent in different individuals. 



SGIENTIFW JOURNALS AND ARTICLES 

 The American Museum Journals for No- 

 vember and December are both out containing 

 much information in regard to the work of 



SOCIETIES AND ACADEMIES 



THE INDIANA ACADEMY OF SCIENCE 



The winter meeting of the academy was 

 held in the Shortridge High School at In- 



