Recently published Ornithological Works. 85 
of Agriculture, Industry, and Commerce is a model of com¬ 
pilation, being clear without unnecessary length, and con¬ 
densed without the omission of a single important point in 
the varied discussions which took place. Some of these were 
evidently of a rather confused character, several of the dele¬ 
gates being far more anxious to ventilate their own (often 
impracticable) views than to listen to the opinions, or even 
the remonstrances, of others; consequently it was at times 
by no means easy to follow the course of the proceedings. 
Only to the more moderate of the delegates did it seem to 
occur that in different countries there is considerable diver¬ 
gence of opinion as to whether certain birds are injurious 
or not; or that, from the varying nature of their food, the 
same species may be destructive in places where they pass the 
summer, and beneficial to the countries which they frequent in 
winter. M. Fatio went so far as to demand, “ in the name 
of agriculture and of sylviculture, in the name of common 
right and in the name of humanity, as well as in the name of 
Switzerland, of the Swiss Society, and of the Society for the 
Protection of Animals ” (!), that the capture of Quails should 
not be permitted on migration on the shores of the Mediter¬ 
ranean, in order that these birds should be allowed to reach 
more northern regions. It can easily be understood that Dr. 
Giglioli as the representative of Italy, where Quails are taken 
in thousands for the supply of the markets of Paris and 
London, could, with his practical mind, see no chance of such 
a notion receiving attention from the Italian Government. 
13. Kirk on Variations in New-Zealand Birds. 
[Notes on some New Zealand Birds, exhibiting curious Variations of 
Colour. By T. W. Kirk. Trans. & Proc. New Zealand Inst. vol. xvii. 
p. 60.] 
Mr. Kirk records the occurrence of partially albinoid varie¬ 
ties in several species of New-Zealand birds —Glaucopis 
wilsonij Ardea pceciloptila, Anas chlorotis , and Ossifraga gi- 
gantea; also a variety of Nestor meridionalis , similar to that 
on which the Nestor superbus of Buller was founded. 
