ORNITHOLOGY IN 1850. 
interesting and beautiful species were procured by the Rattlesnake, 
on her surveying voyage around the north coast of New Holland, 
and these have been noticed in our account of the Ornithology of 
Section D, of British Association (Contrib. 1850, p. 85); so also 
in our last part was Menura alberti described (Contrib. 1850, p. 
142-18). We have mentioned the traces received of the existence 
of a wingless bird in Lord Howe’s Island, and the existence of a 
large bird in the interior of Madagascar has almost been proved by 
the exhibition of its egos at a recent scientific meeting in Paris. 
“At yesterday’s sitting, M. Geoffrey St. Hilaire presented the 
bones and eggs of a huge bird, a native of Madagascar. Two of 
the egos are entire but the other is broken. It is calculated, from 
the measurement made, that each of them can contain eight litres 
of liquid, or as much as six ostrich eggs, or 148 hen eggs. M. 
Feofirey St. Hilaire supposes this gigantic bird to be a perfectly 
distinct genus. He has given to the genus the name of Zpyornis, 
and to the species that of maaima. The remains exhibited yes- 
terday were last year obtained at Madagascar, by a merchant 
“aptain, named Abadie, and by him sent to the Isle of Reunion 
ind thence to France.” — Galignani.* 
The remarkable bird described by Mr. Gould under the name of 
eters red, was procured by Mr. Mansfield Parkins, during an 
othe a to the White Nile, along with a considerable collection of 
rds, which have been placed in Mr. Gould’s hands to describe. 
Saye an opportunity lately of examining the specimen con- 
daar to be a male (both sexes were procured), and noted down 
rye Owing description. The accompanying outlines will give 
© idea of the form and proportions of the bill. (See Pl. 68.) 
© Specimen is, above, uniformly of a brownish-gray, of a 
i and bluer tint on the scapulars, secondaries, quills and 
sie ibe: the tint is much paler, the feathers on the breast 
Pie and darker in the centre, and those of the flanks having 
mature iy ins and conspicuous. The specimen certainly is in im- 
full te not perfectly full plumage, and it is probable, that in the 
coloutin e dress, the upper parts will a good deal resemble the 
ina : ‘. 0 Ardeola virescens and its allies. On the occiput, which 
dee ieee furnished with a comparatively short tufted crest, 
‘rs of a darker and fresher bluish tint are making their 
eep 
. We sh; * 
uu all print the entire account given in the Comptes Rendus in our next part. 
