1955 RECENT ORNITHOLOGICAL PUBLICATIONS 389

-OLD, H. L. 1954. Studim on the avihuna of Spitsbergen. Nor&

Very detailed observations on distribution, general behaviour, breeding, etc., and particulars of specimens collected.

Polarinstitutt Skrifter no. 103. 4. 131. Results of four summers* expeditions to Spitsbergen.

D. W. S.

MEINERTZHAGEN, R. 1954. Contains a great deal of miscellaneous information, mostly from personal unpublished

data, on the type and Occurrence of grit taken by birds, its function, effect on seed- distribution, etc. R. E. M.

Grit. Bull. Brit. Om. Club 74 : 97-102.

MEINERTZHAGEN, R. 1955. The speed and altitude of bird fliKht (with notes on other animals). Ibis 97 : 81-1 17.

PAULIAN, P. 1953. PinnipMes, dtactk, oiseaux des Iles Kerguelen et Amsterdam.

Contains a detailed account, with systematic, ecological and behavioural data, of the birds collected and recorded from Kerguelen (Jan.-Dec. 1951) and Amsterdam Island (Jan. 1952).

SMITH, K. D. 1955.

M h . Inst. Sci. Madagascar Ser. A, 8 : 111-234, 30 pls.

D. W. S.

Recent records from Eritrea. Ibis 97 : 65-80.

STRESEMANN, E. & THOMSEN, P. 1954. J. F. Naumanns Rriefwechsel mit Acta Historica Sci. Nit. et Med. (Copenhagen) H. Lichtenstein 1818-1856.

11 : 1-74.

TORDOFF, H. B. 1954. A systematic study of the avian family Fringillidae based on the structure of the skull. Misc. Publ. Mus. 2001. Univ. Michigan 81. Pp. 41, 11 pls.

The " heavy conical bill " that has been the sole character of the family Frinqillidae is regarded as a readily adaptable structure not reliable as a " good " taxonomic character. This study deals especially with the squamosal region and with elements of the bony palate. It is concluded that the Carduelines arc Ploceids and the Fringillidae

* are then divided into (a) Geospizinae, Emberizinae and Fringillinae, (b) Richmon- deninae, (c) Thraupinae (tanagers). R. E. M.

INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION ON ZOOLOGICAL NOMENCLATURE.

Notice is hereby given that the possible use by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature of its Plenary Powers is involved in applications relating to the under-mentioned names included in Parts 3 and 4 of Volume 11 of the ' Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature ', both of which will be published on 28 February 1955:-

(5) obsnrra Beremwsky & Bianchi, 1891, as published in the combination Lmvivorn obscuru (Class Aves), validation of (pp. 93-94) (Z.N.(S.)876).

(6) bei Ridgway, 1874, as published in the combination Eremophila alpestris var. hi, suppression of (pp. 103-104) (Z.N.(S.)817).

3% CURRENT NOTES AND NOTICES IBIS 97 2. Attention is also drawn to the proposed adoption of the undermentioned

(n) clarifying Rule (g) of Article 30 relating to the selection of the type species, in cases where a species has two or more namwl objectively synonymous with one another (pp. 86-89) (Z.N.(S.)878).

(6) regarding the specific name to be adopted for the type species of a genus in cases where that species possesses two or more objectively synonymous such names (pp. 112-113) (Z.N.(S.)908).

3. The present notice is given in pursuance of decisions taken by the 13th Inter- national Congress of Zoology, Paris, July 1948 (see ' Bull. Zool. Nomencl.' 4 : 51-56,

4. Any specialist who may desire to comment on any of the foregoing applications is invited to do so in writing to the Secretary to the International Commission (28 Park Village East, Regent's Park, London, N.W.1, England) as soon as possible. Every such comment should be clearly marked with the Commission's File Number as given in the present Notice.

5. If received in sufficient time before the commencement by the International Commission of voting on the applications in question, comments received in response to the present Notice will be published in the ' Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature '; comments received too late to be so published will be brought to the attention of the International Commission at the commencement of voting on the application in question.

6. Under the decision by the International Congress of Zoology specified in paragraph 3 above, the period within which comments on the applications covered by the present Notice are receivable is a period of six calendar months calculated from the dateof publication of the relevant Part of the'Bulletin of Zoological Nomenclature'. The two parts now in question will be published on 28 February 1955. In consequence any comments on the above applications published in these two Parts should reach the Secretariat of the International Commission at latest by 28 August 1955.

' Declarations ' :-

57-59; ibid. 5 : 5-13, 131).

FRANCIS HEMMING, 21 February 1955. Secretary, I.C.Z.N.

CURRENT NOTES AND NOTICES. By a pleasant coincidence we are able to welcome together the appearance of the

first numbers of two periodicals from countries that, so far as we know, have not hitherto embarked on this form of ornithological publication--' Ardeola ', the journal of the new Sociedad EspaAola de Ornitologta, and the ' Irish Bird Report; First Annual Report' of the Irish Ornithologists' Club, Dublin. The address of the Spanish society is c/o Muse0 Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, Castellana 84, Madrid, and the editor of ' Ardeola ', contents of which are " noticed " in our " Recent Ornithological Publications ", is Dr. F. Bernis. The first Irish bird report, edited by Major R. F. Ruttledge, is obtainable for 3s. 6d. from the Irish Ornithol- ogists' Club at 43 Kildare Street, Dublin. I t contains a " classified list of records " (of -" rare and interesting birds ") and the 1950-1953 report of the Saltee Bird Observatory.