216 
Letters, Announcements, fyc. 
reach of an ordinary fishing-rod. There was scarcely a 
moment in the day when upwards of fifty could not he 
counted within the area of a few yards in any of the patches 
of this common plant.” 
New Birds from Celebes. —In an account of a meeting of 
the Yerein ftir Naturwissenschaft of Brunswick, held on the 
18th February last, published in the f Braunschweigische 
Anzeiger 9 for March 3rd, which Dr. W. Blasius has kindly 
forwarded, will be found short characters of the two new 
birds from Celebes, named Dicceum nehrkorni and Ballus 
plateni. The specimens thus described formed part of a 
large collection made by Dr. Platen at Rurukan, in Northern 
Celebes, in 1884 and 1885, of which, no doubt, a fuller 
account will ultimately be given. 
New and Recent Expeditions. —Mr. G. C. Bourne has re¬ 
turned safely from his visit to Diego Garcia, and amongst 
his spoils has brought back a collection of birds, comprising 
representatives of about 15 species. These are all Waders 
and Sea-birds with the exception of a single Weaver-bird, 
apparently Foudia madagascariensis, which has been no doubt 
imported from Mauritius. Mr. Bourne will read a report on 
his birds at one of the approaching meetings of the Zoological 
Society of London. 
Mr. Henry J. Elwes has received the appointment of Natu¬ 
ralist to the Embassy which is about to proceed to Lhassa 
with the object of opening Tibet to the trade of India. 
There can be no doubt that in this instance at least we have 
the right man in the right place. Mr. Elwes's well-known 
energy and intimate acquaintance with the fauna of Dar¬ 
jeeling alike render him in every way fitted for this arduous 
post, and all the fraternity of the B.O.U. will, we are sure, join 
us in wishing him success in his somewhat hazardous journey. 
Mr. Elwes will leave England very shortly for Darjeeling, 
whence the Expedition will start in the early part of the 
summer. 
