16 EEPORT OF THE SECRETARY. 



pages than the earlier work. "Subsequently described species are 

 added. Fuller attention is given in separate chapters to the subjects 

 of geographical distribution, organs of generation, jaw and lingual den- 

 tition, and classification. In the descriptive portion of the work the 

 species are grouped geographically rather than systematically." The 

 subject is treated under the following heads : 1st. Habits and Proper- 

 ties (9 pp.) ; 2d. Geographical Distribution (24 pp.) ; 3d. The Generative 

 apparatus (2 pp.) ; 4th. The Jaw and Lingual Membrane (G pp.) ; 5th. 

 Classification (7 pp.); 6th. Systematic Index (3 pp.); and 7th, consti- 

 tuting the bulk of the volume, Description of Species (412 pp.). Fol- 

 lowing this is a tabular list (with specified localities and sources) of the 

 Binney Collection of the Land Sliells of North America, presented by 

 the author to the U. S. National Museum (25 pp.). The work forms an 

 octavo volume of 528 pages, and is illustrated by 516 wood-cut figures 

 in the text. 



" Bulletin U. S. National Museum, No. 29. Eesults of Ornithological 

 Explorations in the Commander Islands and Kamtschatka." By Leon- 

 hard Stejneger. The work is divided into three parts : 1st. Review of 

 the species of birds collected or observed by the author on the Com- 

 mander Islands, and at Petropaulski, Kamtschatka, 1882-1883 (300 pp.) ; 

 2d. Synopsis of the birds reported to inhabit Kamtschatka (20 i)p.), and 

 3d. Conclusions drawn by the author respecting the probable derivation 

 of this avifauna, and the limitation of its forms. As the result of his 

 explorations, he maintains " that the peninsula forms a very well circum- 

 scribed oruitho-geographical province, remarkable not only for a num- 

 ber of peculiarly modified forms, but also for a surprising absence of 

 many of the most characteristic forms of the paLnearctic and circum- 

 polar ornis." Regarding Kamtschatka as one of the most typical and 

 well-defined peninsulas, the conditions of which " are such as to make 

 it a true island, zoologically speaking," the author ventures the sugges- 

 tion, " there seems to be reason to assume that it has been a real island 

 at no very distant period." The work forms an octavo volume of 390 

 pages, and is illustrated by 7 wood-cut figures in the text, a sketch map 

 of Kamtschatka and adjacent countries, 1 relief-cut plate, and 7 chromo 

 lithograjihic plates. 



"Bulletin U. S. National Museum, No. 30. Publications relatiug to 

 Fossil Invertebrates." By John Belknap Marcou. This forms the 

 third volume of the Bibliographies of American Naturalists, and is de- 

 voted entirely to a catalogue of the writings of those who have labored 

 in the field of invertebrate palaeontology, in connection with the re- 

 searches and collections made by the Institution and the National Mu- 

 seum. The list of memoirs embraces: 1st. The published writings of 

 Fielding B. Meek, numbering 105 titles of papers (of which one was in 

 conjunction with Prof. James Hall, 17 in conjunction with Mr. F. V. Hay- 

 den, and 25 in conjunction with Mr. A. H. Wortheu), and occupying 100 

 pages; 2d. The published writings of Charles A. White, numbering 



