Vol. xi.] 20 



thographia Rossica ') and Professor Menzbier ( f Ornithologie 

 du Turkestan') have remained so long unfinished. The time 

 has also now arrived when a new handbook of the birds of 

 Europe should be undertaken. We are glad to hear that 

 Mr. Dresser is busily engaged in preparing a ' Manual of 

 Palaearctic Birds.' 



In the far east of the Palsearctic Region British ornitho- 

 logists have done their full share of work. No one can 

 forget the name of Swinhoe when treating of this subject, 

 and we have several active contributors to ' The Ibis ' 

 (Rickett, Styan, La Touche) always busy on the birds of 

 the Chinese Empire. There is no doubt, however, that 

 great discoveries have still to be made when the mountainous 

 ranges of the interior of China can be safely explored. An 

 enterprising ornithologist who would undertake to go out 

 to Kamtchatka or the Lower Amoor in the early spring and 

 watch the migrants coming north on that side of the globe 

 would find a very interesting field of research. This was a 

 pet scheme of our late friend Seebohm, and will, we may 

 hope, be taken up some day by one of his followers. 



Another vacant area on the boundaries of the Palsearctic 

 Region, which is easy of access and might be safely traversed 

 in the early spring, lies between the Persian Gulf. and 

 Palestine. The traveller should proceed to Bussorah by sea, 

 and thence journey up the valley of the Euphrates to Aleppo 

 and Antioch. Not many novelties, perhaps, would be 

 obtained on this route, but, so far as I know, the district has 

 hardly ever been visited by a naturalist, and many interesting 

 species of birds would doubtless be encountered. 



II. The Indian Region. 



The extent and variety of the Ornis of the Oriental Region 

 are so great that it is impossible to do more than just allude 

 to it on the present occasion. British ornithologists have 

 again done their full share towards the elucidation of its 

 zoological features, and are still doing good work. The 

 excellent ' Fauna of British India,' edited by Blauford, with 

 the volumes on ' Aves ' by Mr. Oates and himself, sums up 



