VOnST Recent Literature. 383 
Funco hyemalis shufeldti Coale. 
Funco ridgwayt Mearns. 
Amphispiza belli cinerea Townsend. 
Melospiza fasciata graminea Townsend. 
Melospiza fasciata clemente Townsend. 
Petrochelidon fulva (Vieill.) Cab. Florida. Accidental. 
Callichelidon cyaneoviridis Bryant. Florida. Accidental. 
Helminthophila celata sordida Townsend. 
Siita carolinensis atkinst Scott. 
One species, 7rochilus holotsa, has been eliminated. 
The following changes in nomenclature were made: Buteo har- 
lant (Aud.)=Buteo borealis harlani (Aud.) Falco sparverioides 
Vig.—Falco dominicensis Gm. Xema ( Creagrus) furcata (Neb.) 
=Creagrus furcatus (Neb.) 
Two subspecies described during the year were rejected, viz: 
Melanerpes formicivorus aculeatus Mearns, and Otocoris alpestris 
insularts Townsend. Action has been deferred upon the following: 
Porzana jamaicensis coturniculus Baird vs. Porzana coturniculus,; 
Meleagris gallopavo osceola Scott; Ictinia plumbea (Gm.); Spinus‘tris- 
tis pallidus Mearns; Vireo vicinior californicus Stephens. Three 
birds which have hitherto been supposed to be of accidental occur- 
rence are now known to occur regularly; these are: Buteo brachyu- 
rus Vieill.; Vireo altiloguuos barbatulus (Cab.); Parus meridionalis 
Scl. The fact that describers have not, in all cases, submitted their 
new forms to the Union has prevented the committee from taking 
action upon them. 
In General Notes, Mr. Ridgway proposes the name Trochilus 
(Selasphorus) rubromitratus for the bird now known as 7yochilus 
floresii (Selasphorus floresii), and explains the reasons for such 
change. W. E. B. 
The American Ornithologists Union. A Seven Years’ Retro- 
spect. ByJ.A. ALLEN. This “address, delivered by the retiring 
president of the eighth congress of the Union” is well worthy of a 
careful reading, not alone by ornithologists but by all interested in 
the progress of biological science. Besides giving an interesting 
resume of the surprising amount of work which the Union has ac- 
aomplished, Mr. Allen discusses in a most fair and satisfactory man- 
ner the question of the use of trinomials and the values of our terms 
- species and variety. Many of our naturalists might well bear in 
