182 Alfred Newton. 



been more carefully executed than that of this copy of 

 Brissons work. I have been long interested in a species of 

 parrakeet, the Palceornis eques, which formerly inhabited the 

 Ile de Bourbon (now called de la Réunion), where it has been 

 for many years extinct. This bird is figured by Brisson 

 (iv., pi. 27) and by Daubenton (No. 215). Neither figure can 

 be said to be good, but the latter fairly agrees with Buffoir s 

 description of it (" Hist. Nat. Oiseaux," vi., p. 143), while the 

 former fails to show many of its peculiarities, though these 

 are mentioned in Brisson's description. For instance, there 

 is no indication of the "bande transversale jaune," which he 

 mentions as being under the throat, nor of the u étroite 

 bande noire qui se recourbe de chaque côté de la gorge, 

 et remonte jusq'au demi-bec inférieur/' while this lower 

 mandible is reported as being" wholly bright red, instead of 

 being " du rouge obscur à sa base." That these are not ver}- 

 important characters, I admit ; but it is on little points like 

 these that the value of a portrait, whether man or bird be 

 the subject, rests, and the want of attention to them is here 

 evident. 



I cannot conclude these brief remarks without expressing 

 my deep sense of indebtedness to Dr. Bureau for the great 

 pleasure he conferred on me by allowing me to examine this . 

 very curious work, and my congratulations on his liberality 

 in entrusting so valuable a possession to my hands. 



