Recently published Ornithological Works. 7 05 
maintained by some writers that the Motacilla hortensis 
of Gmeiin, which has been generally supposed to be the 
Garden-Warbler ( Sylvia hortensis) is not that species but 
the Orphean Warbler (Sylvia orphea). Dr. Hartert ac¬ 
cordingly wishes to adopt the name “ Sylvia hortensis ” for 
the Orphean Warbler and to call the Garden-Warbler 
“ Sylvia borin ” it being, in his opinion, the Motacilla borin 
of Boddaert (ex Buffon, PI. Enl. 579. fig. 2). It may be 
remarked, however, that this identification is uncertain, and 
that if the change were adopted “ Sylvia hortensis ” would 
become quite useless as a specific name, as it would not be 
possible to decide wdiether it was intended to designate the 
Garden-Warbler or the Orphean Warbler. To shift the 
name of one species on to another must always occasion 
serious inconvenience. It is far better, when necessary, 
to reject an uncertain name altogether. 
93. f The Irish Naturalist.’ 
[The Irish Naturalist. A Monthly Journal of General Irish Natural 
History. January-September, 1909.] 
In the January number Mr. R. J. Ussher has some notes 
on the occurrence of Black Redstarts in Co. Waterford; in 
March Mr. B. Jeffers gives us extracts from a Lighthouse 
diary; in June Mr. A. Williams notices the White Wagtail 
from Co. Dublin (cf. p. 183) ; in July Mr. Ussher writes 
on land-birds* nests found in holes on islands ; in August 
Mr. C. B. Moffat discusses the use of domed nests, and 
Mr. Kohn records a Golden Oriole from Co. Cork; in 
September Prof. Patten furnishes an account of the 
Ornithology of The Skerries, Co. Dublin, a district appa¬ 
rently frequented by few but the most ordinary sea-birds. 
94. McGregor on Birds from Mindanao , Philippines. 
[A Collection of Birds from Northern Mindanao. By Richard C. 
McGregor. Philipp. Journ. Sc. iv. p. 67.] 
In the last months of 1907 a collection of birds was 
made in Northern Mindanao by Mr. Andres Celestino, of 
the Philippine Bureau of Science. The 42 species to which 
they are referable are mostly of wide distribution, but six 
