530 Lettersj Announcements, fyc. 
donors have been engaged in the formation of a collection of 
the birds of Tropical America for many years, and are at 
present describing its contents in their magnificent work 
entitled f Biologia Centrali-Americana/ In order to render 
their collection, as soon as possible, available for general 
study, and more especially for the purpose of the c Catalogue 
of Birds/ which the Trustees are publishing at present, they 
have offered to transfer to the British Museum such parts as 
have been completed in their work. All the specimens are 
in the most perfect condition and accurately labelled, so that 
their incorporation into the general collection entails no 
more work than the mechanical labour of placing them in 
the cabinets. 
“ Besides the f Hume ’ collection with 82,000 skins, nests, 
and eggs, and besides 5331 specimens from the f Salvin and 
Godman* collection, and 2281 from the f Sclater' collection, 
the additions amount to 2149, of which the most important 
are the following :— 
“ Pairs of the parent birds of the Bing-Ouzel, Shoveller, 
Teal, Pochard, and Tufted Duck, with their nests and eggs, 
from Norfolk ; presented by Lord Walsingham. 
“ Pairs of the parent birds of the Common Gull, Herring- 
Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Arctic Tern (five pairs), and 
Bichardson’s Skua (two pairs, with their nests and eggs, or 
young, from the Island of Moussa, Shetland); presented by 
Lieut. G. H. Bruce, B.N., and E. M. Nelson, Esq. 
“ Nest and young, with parent bird of the Common Wren ; 
presented by Colonel Irby. 
“ A pair of Teal, with nest and young, from Tring; pre¬ 
sented by the Hon. Walter Bothschild. 
“ Nine hundred and thirty-six specimens from various 
localities; presented by B. Bowdler Sharpe, Esq. 
“ Thirty Pinches from Northern France and the Vosges 
Mountains ; presented by E. Hargitt, Esq. 
“ Twenty specimens of Pinches and Starlings from Norway; 
presented by the Christiania Museum. 
“ Twelve specimens of rare Buntings from Siberia and 
Japan ; presented by Henry Seebohm, Esq. 
