The Emu. 
region, and it is very thoughtful of Dr. Finsch to send them to 
the newly-formed Aust. O.U. The doctor, in his notes on a 
collection of birds from the north-west coast of New Guinea 
(Sekru), vol. xxii., p. 62, includes with Syma torotoro (Less.) 
our 6". flavirostris (Gould). Mr. Hartert, in " Novi Zool.," vi,, 
p. 427 (1899), disagrees with this. Any member with available 
specimens should note the opinions. Attention is also drawn to 
Climacteris scandens and C. leucopJicBu, vol. xxiii., p. 60, and the 
names given of four or five species of Climacteris which are 
among the desiderata of the Museum. In vol. xxii., p. 276, the 
old name of Artamus leucorhynchus (Linn.) is used, and our A. 
leucogaster is included. Mr. Hartert places our bird as a sub- 
species, ArtamiLS leucorhynchus parvirostris. In the same volume, 
p. 278, Pitta ilegans IS shown to extend its distribution to Kisser. 
Again, in the same vol., p. 282, our Northern Cuculus intermedius 
(Vahl.) is noted. According to Dr. Sharpe priority in name is 
given to Hodgson's saturatus, so that our C. intermedius (Vahl.) 
is now C. saturatus, Hodg. (Handbook B. M., ii., p. 158, 1900). 
The Sekru (north-west coast of New Guinea) collection made 
by Mr. Karl Schadler contains 76 species, of which 20 are 
Australian. 
* * * 
A PAMPHLET forwarded by Mr. Reginald C. Robbins, 373 
Washington-street, Boston, and bearing the title, " Bird-killing 
as a Method in Ornithology," is devoted to a laboured argument 
to prove that killing birds for scientific study is something more 
than unnecessary. The author claims therein to " have shown 
that the dead bird differs from the live bird as an object of 
science by being a chronicle which is the more pitiably in- 
sufficient the more precise is its reference to the bird killed," 
and urges that far more than enough specimens have already 
been procured for teaching, were the collections merged and 
made generally available. There is no doubt a great deal of 
bird life sacrificed in the name of science (some perchance 
unnecessarily, hence much to be regretted), but Mr. Robbins 
has hardly chosen the best method of effecting a reform. He 
takes pedantry for precision in argument, and certainly will not 
be readily *' understanded of the people." A simpler statement 
of the case would have proved more effective. 
* * * 
Mr. a. J. North, in the January issue of the " Records of the 
Australian Museum " (iv.. No. 5, pp. 209, 210), publishes a " Note 
on Malurus leucopterus, Quoy and Gaimard," which he says 
" was sent last July to Melbourne for publication in the Victorian 
Naturalist, but was temporarily (?) withdrawn, pending an 
application to the Western Australian Museum, Perth, for the 
loan of the type." In this note he mentions that, after referring 
