Recent Ornithological Publications. 113 
are sorry to say, sometimes neglects this very necessary precau¬ 
tion. In his first volume we have the names Melanodryas } 
Pcecilodryas , and Stigmatops proposed and used without any 
further indication of generic characters than the reader can 
himself gather from his own knowledge of the species assigned 
to them. We are quite ready to admit that generic division is a 
mere matter of convenience; but in order that it may be so, it is, 
and has always been regarded as, absolutely essential that such 
divisions should be defined. The cases we have cited are bad 
enough; but we cannot even allow that the good old classical 
rule is obeyed in the following paragraph from the second 
volume, which is apparently intended as the definition of a new 
genus, Ptistes :— 
“ The birds for which I propose the above generic appellation 
are, in my opinion, sufficiently different in form and colouring 
to warrant their being separated from Aprosmictus, and formed 
into a new genus. At present three species are known to me. 
* * * They have a very laboured flight, consequent on the great 
size of their wings, which has suggested the generic name of 
Ptistes , i. e. winnower.” 
% 
It is with extreme regret that we make these depreciatory 
remarks; but the interest of our science seems to call for some 
such protest. After all, the imperfections of which we have 
spoken are but slight drawbacks to the practical utility of this 
‘ Handbook/ and they may be easily remedied in a second 
edition, which, unless we greatly overrate the ornithological 
yearnings of the “ Corn-stalks,” we venture to predict will be 
soon called for. 
In some “ Notes on the Chatham Islands,” by Mr. H. H. Tra¬ 
vers, published in the c Journal of the Linnean Society/ a short 
account of the ornithology of those islands is given, which we¬ 
ll ere reproduce, seeing that, as it is included in the Botanical 
division of the Society's publication, it might otherwise escape 
our readers' attention. 
“ There are at present but few land-birds either on this 
[Chatham's] or on Pitt's Island. Formerly the White Crane 
[Herodias flavirostris) , the Bittern (Botaurus melanotus), an 
N. S.-VOL. II. I 
