Recent Ornithological Publications. 409 
just as the Penguins and Auks bear relation to families of the 
Natatorial order. Thus the Notornis is a modified Coot. The 
Ostrich bears the same relation to the Bustards. The extinct 
Didus arid Pezophaps are most nearly allied to the Columbaceous 
group of Rasores. Apteryx and the allied extinct Dinornis and 
Palapteryx bear affinity to the Megapodial family of the Gal - 
lince.” But notwithstanding this, the forms just mentioned are 
not included among the “ sample families ” previously spoken 
of, and the words “ Cursores ” and “ Cursorial” recur again and 
again throughout the whole book, without any further explana¬ 
tion of their use than that given (at page 13)—“ In all the 
Cursorial genera the sternum is devoid of keel.” If we may 
conclude from this that Prof. Owen’s views on the systematic 
arrangement of birds are still unsettled, the fact will no doubt 
be consolatory to a good many ornithologists who have been 
hitherto blaming their own stupidity only for being in a similar 
state of mind; but then, surely, it will also be an additional in¬ 
ducement for them to persevere in their endeavours to get their 
ideas on the subject crystallized into a somewhat tangible form. 
The Seventeenth part of Mr. Gould’s f Birds of Asia,’ published 
in April 1865, contains the following species— 
Harpactes liodgsoni. Himalaya. 
-diardi. Malacca, &c. 
-orescius. Java. 
-reinwardti. Java. 
-mackloti. Sumatra. 
Cati-eus wallichi. Himalaya. 
Dromolsea picata. Scinde, &c. 
-opistholeuca. India. 
Saxicola capistrata (s. n.). 
-leucomela. Altai, Dauria*. 
-montana (s. n.). Afghanistan. 
-atrogularis. Scinde, &c. 
Pluvianus segyptius. Palestine. 
Budytes citreoloides. India. 
Pipastes agilis. India. 
Phyllopneuste tristis. India. 
j Dromolcea opistholeuca is said to be distinct from D. leucuroides 
and D. leucura. Saxicola capistrata is S. leucomela of Jerdon, 
but not of Pallas; S,. atrogularis is S. deserti of Jerdon, but not 
of Riippell. Touching Pluvianus agyptius we may remark, since 
* We take this opportunity of correcting a signal mistake we have un¬ 
fortunately made in the 4 Record of Zoological Literature 5 just published 
(p. 73), where we said that this species “ does not appear to be really 
Asiatic.” Pallas gives the localities for it as above, and says it is “ fre- 
quentissima avis.” 
