552 Recently published Ornithological Works . 
Ibis, 1899, p. 457), in his third visit to Africa crossed that 
continent from east to west, passing through Uganda, Toro, 
and Fort George on Lake Albert-Edward, and thence 
through the “ Great African Forest ” by the Aruwimi and 
Congo to the west coast. 
The collection of birds made during this arduous journey 
was naturally of a somewhat {< fragmentary ” character, but 
contains some interesting specimens. Mr. Hartert refers 
them to 172 species, upon many of which he gives us copious 
notes. Dates and localities are well registered. The fol¬ 
lowing novelties are described in the course of the paper:— 
Pterocles exustus orientalis from India, Pterocles gutturalis 
suturatior and lyngipicus obsoletus ingens from British East 
Africa, Muscicapa toruensis from Toru, Mirafra africana 
transvaalensis from the Transvaal, M. a. iropicalis from 
tropical East Africa, and M. a. athi from the Athi plains, 
B. E. A. 
We much regret to observe that Mr. Hartert is beginning 
to commence his papers wuth the lower Orders first. This 
is a most inconvenient practice, and contrary to universal 
custom in all other Classes of animals, although, of course, we 
are too well aw r are that it is now becoming the fashion in 
Birds. 
84. Judd on Birds as Weed-destroyers. 
[Birds as Weed-Destroyers. By Silvester D. Judd, Pla.D. Reprinted 
from Year-book of Department of Agriculture for 1898.] 
On behalf of the “ Biological Survey ” of the U.S. Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture, Mr. Judd shows us that certain birds 
are useful as destroyers of noxious weeds, upon the seeds 
of which they mainly subsist. In North America many 
of the Finches, the Horned Larks, some of the Icteridse, 
and the Mourning Dove belong to this category, and do a 
large amount of good to the agriculturist. No fewer than 
50 birds, we are told in the summary, act as weed-destroyers 
and help to eradicate about 60 species of noxious plants. 
The whole subject is well treated of in this pamphlet of 
