RECENT LITERATURE. 



The Horned Larks of North America. By Jonathan Dwight 

 Jr. ^ Auk, vu, 138-158. Distributed throughout all favorable locali- 

 ties ui North America, the horned larks form a large and difficult 

 group of birds, closely and intricately connected with one another 

 and yet presenting appreciable points of difference. Since Mr 

 Henshaw's able review of the group, a large amount of new material* 

 has become available, thus throwing much additional light upon the 

 ^ subject, and It is very fortunate that the elaboration of this material 

 consisting of over two thousand of these birds, fell to the lot of Mr' 

 Dwight. 



Twenty-two varieties have been made of this one specie^- It 

 certainly seems unfortunate that the number could not have^ been 

 considerably reduced, but when we consider the plastic nature of 

 the bird, which causes it to change so readily with its environment 

 we cannot but think that Mr. Dwight has been as conservative as 



ascribing specific rank to girandi without material from the inter- 

 vening districts, although its isolated habitat and distinctive charac- 

 ters would seem to point to its separation. 



An extremely interesting fact disclosed by his researches is that 

 there is no spring moult in this species, the breeding plumage big 

 the result of the wearing off of the ends of the featliers Care d 

 mvestigation will probably prove that this is true of many oth" o 

 our passerine birds. -^ «Jtneis 01 



In the distribution of races one circumstance wa, noted wl>ich 

 would seen, ,0 n,dicate that the local varieties are not ll so e 



