Letters , Extracts , and Notes. 
219 
disregarding the principal rule of every code of nomen¬ 
clature, viz., that a name preoccupied in the same genus 
cannot be used again. 
I think it is unfortunate that my reviewer did not inves¬ 
tigate the points in question, bnt without regard to my 
careful statements charged me with accepting “ uncertain 
names,” a thing of which I disapprove as much as every¬ 
body else. 
Tring, Yours &c., 
November 1909. Ernst Hartert. 
[We may venture to remark that, in our opinion , Motacilla 
borin of Boddaert, is an uncertain name. Dresser refers 
it (B. of Europe, ii. p. 383) to the Lesser Whitethroat 
(Sylvia curruca ).— Edd.] 
Sirs, — I wish to communicate to you the occurrence in 
Italy of an interesting bird. 
On May 10th, 1909, 1 received from Dr. Cerio, along 
with other small birds, several Wheatears ( Saxicola ) that 
had been captured in the island of Capri in the Gulf of 
Naples. On examining these Wheatears in the flesh - ” I 
was surprised to find amongst them an example of the 
Desert W r heatear ( Saxicola deserti) of Ruppell. The speci¬ 
men is a very fine adult male, in full plumage. It has been 
sent for examination to Count Arrigoni Degli Oddi, who 
fully confirms the correctness of my identification. 
This is the third record of the occurrence of this “ rara 
avis }) in Italy. The first was obtained in Sicily in 1891, as 
recorded by Prof. Giglioli in his c Avifauna Italica ’ (p. 130). 
This specimen is now in the Florence Museum. The second 
was snared on October 3rd, 1905, near Como in Lombardy 
(see Martorelli, Uccelli dTtalia, p. 530), and is now in the 
Museum of Milan ; and the third is the present specimen, 
which is in my collection. 
I am well aware that the Desert Wheatear has heed 
obtained in other parts of the continent of Europe on about 
