Recently published Ornithological Works. 375 
Laccadives, which have not been previously examined, the 
birds and other animals obtained were exclusively common 
Indian species, and the general conclusion arrived at is that 
“ the Laccadives have no distinctive fauna or flora.'” The fol¬ 
lowing “ novelties 33 are described:— Estrilda burmanica from 
Rangoon, Alcippe bourdilloni from Travancore, and Monti - 
fringilla blanfordi and M. mandellii from Sikim. 
36. Sharpe’s edition of Bayard’s ‘ Birds of South Africa 
[The Birds of South Africa. By E. L. Layard, E.Z.S. &c. New edi¬ 
tion, thoroughly revised and augmented, by ft. Bowdler Sharpe, F.L.S., 
F.Z.S., &c., Senior Assistant, Zoological Department, British Museum. 
Part iv.] 
After what has been said on the subject of antedating in 
f Nature * (vol. xiv. pp. 309, 330, 351, 369, 392, 424, 474) 
in reference to this very work, we are certainly rather sur¬ 
prised that Mr. Sharpe should continue in the face of the 
strictures of his brother naturalists to issue another number 
in March 1877, dated “ May 1875/” It is, we suppose, the 
fault of the publisher, who wishes to use up his old covers; 
but we cannot consider the author otherwise than co-respon- 
sible. 
So far as we can tell, Saxicola shelleyi from Victoria Falls, 
S. anderssoni from Great Namaqua Land, Drymceca hypoxan- 
tha from Natal, and Acrocephalus fulvo-lateralis from Natal 
are now described for the first time. But we must again re¬ 
peat (cf. Ibis, 1875, p. 506) that the omission of all syno¬ 
nyms is in our opinion a very great demerit in the present 
edition of Mr. Layarfs work, as it is only by reading the 
context that these and other points can be ascertained. 
37. Reuglin’s ( Journey in North-eastern Africa / 
[fteise in Nordost-Afrika. Schilderungen aus dem Gebiete der Beni- 
Amer und Habab, mit zoologischen Skizzen und einem Fiihrer fur Jagd- 
reisende, von M. Th. v. Heuglin. Zwei Bande. Braunschweig, 1877.] 
These volumes give an account of the late Th. v. Heuglin's 
last African journey. In January and February 1875 Heug¬ 
lin made a short excursion along the mountainous district 
2c 2 
