808 SCIENTIFIC RECORD FOR 1885. 



Alpine regfon of southeastern New Guinea, and two of these exhibit 

 phases of plumage entailing generic distinction. They have been de- 

 scribed by Messrs. O. Finsch and A. B. Meyer, and beautifully illus- 

 trated in the ''Zeitschrift fiir die gesaramte Ornithologi(»." The new 

 species of jireviously known genera are Phonygama purpureoviolacea, 

 Epiniochus Meyeri^ Paradisea Finschi, and Dipliyllodes Hunsteini, while 

 the remaining two {Astrarchia Stephanice and Paradisornis HudolpM) 

 represent hitherto unknown genera. The Astrarchia is related to As 

 tropia, but the two middle tail-feathers are very elongated and concave 

 above, while the lateral ones are short. The Paradisornis is allied to 

 Paradisea, but the two middle tail-feathers are very long, narrow, and 

 spatuliform, and the bill is higher and more compressed ; the long 

 flank Illumes are especially remarkable for the blue of different shades 

 which distinguish them. (Z. g. 0., v. 2, pp. 360-391, pi. 15-22.) 



An insular genus of Birds. — The faunas of the archipelagos are in- 

 teresting on account of the limited distribution of the resident species 

 and the fact that many of those species are peculiar to special islands 

 or groups of neighboring islands, but represented by kindred species in 

 other parts of the archipelago. Such is the case with a genus of war- 

 blers, (Certhiola) almost characteristic of the West Indies, although sev 

 eral species are likewise found on the mainland of South and Middle 

 America or in Florida. The species of the genus have been subjected 

 to a revision lately by Mr. Robert Eidgway, and nineteen species are ad- 

 mitted. Of these four species {Certhiola hahamensis, C. mexicana, C. 

 luteola, and C. chloropyga) are found on the mainland, two (0. mexicana 

 and C. chloropyga) being confined to the continent, while of the others 

 one {C. bahamensis) is found in Southern Florida as well as the Baha- 

 mas, and another {C. luteola) occurs in Tobago as well as Trinidad, Vene- 

 zuela, and Colombia. The other species are exclusively confined to 

 special islands or groups of islands, ench of the large or well separated 

 islands, as Cuba, Hayti, Porto Rico, Jamaica, Martinique, and Barba- 

 does, having its special species. {Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., v. viii, pp. 25-30.) 



Mammals. 



The ancestry of Mammals. — Much diiference of opinion has prevailed 

 as to the ancestry of the mammals. Formerly it was generally sup- 

 posed that they were derived from such forms as the Diuosaurians or 

 that they were at least cognate with such reptiles. Later it was urged 

 by Professor Huxley (and the view has been accepted with considerable 

 favor) that the ancestry was to be sought among the amphibians. 

 Against both views, however, there were various objections. Professor 

 Copehas lately been disposed to consider that the nearest of kin were cer- 

 tain reptiles that lived during the Permian epoch. These reptiles have 

 been called the Theromorpha and are characterized in that the quadrate 



