389 
Mr. J. H. Gurney's List of Bii'ds of Prey. 
It remains for further and more extended examination to 
show us with what external characters these various modifica¬ 
tions of the sternum accord, and with what degree of constancy. 
The foregoing investigations, however, lead us to the conclusion 
that any considerable difference in external characters is accom¬ 
panied with some modification or other in the form of the 
sternum. 
And now I can readily fancy that, if any of the readers of this 
Magazine have taken the trouble to follow me to this point, 
they will be rather likely to exclaim, “ Why all this about a 
Blackbird and a Thrush ? for it is of them that chief mention is 
made, and it could scarcely be worth while to take up so much 
space about such very common species: surely we did not want 
to hear so much about them." Let me assure them that they 
are mistaken. If they are genuine zoologists they do want to 
hear all this and a great deal more, but in a more extended 
and better digested form than I have been able to give it, and 
with a more general knowledge of the method of working it 
out than I possess. 
In order to arrive at a definite and truthful conclusion in a 
question like the one I have here propounded, it is absolutely 
necessary that we go through a great amount of laborious and 
minute comparison of part with part of many species before we 
can safely generalize; and the commonest species will furnish 
materials of value quite equal to what we can obtain of the rarer 
ones, with this striking advantage—that we can readily multiply 
our opportunities of investigation, and thereby prune away errors 
that are sure to find their way into restricted labours, even of 
the most watchful. And, besides, the commoner the species, 
the easier it is for every one to corroborate or refute what has 
been advanced. 
XXXVII .—List of Birds of Prey received from Beyrout . 
By John Henry Gurney, M.P., E.Z.S. 
The following is a list of Birds of prey, of which specimens 
collected in Syria have recently been sent to me by Mr. Louis 
Lauretta of Beyrout. I may, perhaps, be allowed to add that 
