ZOOLOGY. 



G39 



aud other observations liave been generally forgotten of late years. 

 Ur. L. Stejneger has lately had occasion to recall them in connection 

 with new facts discovered by himself, exhibited in a ptarmigan {Lagopus 

 albus). He states that in this bird the shedding of the claws " takes 

 place in July or August, according to locality and other circumstances, 

 at the time when the toes are most denuded, in fact almost wholly 

 naked, and the dark summer plumage is most complete. The claws 

 grow very rapidly, however, and reach their full length long before the 

 white winter plumage with the densely clothed toes is fully developed." 

 So far as known, continues Dr. Stejneger, "this process is confined to 

 the members of the family Tetraonidae," but has been now found in 

 Bonasa bonasia, Urogallus urogallus, Lyrurus tetrix, Lagopus albus, and 

 L. Ridgicayi. According to Dr. Collett, of Ohristiania, a specimen of the 

 common quail of Europe {Goturnix coturnix) also shed its claws in con- 

 finement, but this, says Dr. Stejneger, " may have been due to some 

 l^athological process." 



As is generally known, the claws of the ptarmigans in winter become 

 much elongated, and Dr. Stejneger quotes some observations of Pro- 

 fessor Meves upon the habit of the bird bearing upon this development. 

 The species of Lagopus have, " all through the winter, to struggle with 

 the snow, upon which they are forced to walk. The snow is often 

 loose, and, with a foot like that of the common fowl, they would need 

 much greater exertion of their strength in order to keep themselves on 

 the surface. But the ptarmigan, by having the under side of the toes 

 thickly covered with feathers, which can be spread out, and by means 

 of the long and straight claws, which may be compared with snow- 

 shoes, are enabled to run easily over the snow. The iisefulness aud the 

 necessity of the lengthening of the nails are self-evident. In the genus 

 Tetrao ( Urogallus, -f Lyrurus, + Bonasa) the lateral horny fringes of the 

 toes render the same excellent service, aud may fitly be regarded as a 

 kind of snow-shoe. During the summer this whole outfit becomes super- 

 fluous, which may be the main cause of the periodical shedding." 

 {Am. Nat., xviii, pp. 774, 775 ; Ibis (5), iii, pp. 50-52.) 



The number of Parrots. — A useful work by Dr. Anton Eeichenow 

 has been brought to a close, and, as it has been finished, constitutes a 

 monograph of the family of Parrots. It has appeared in 11 folio parts, 

 with 33 colored plates ; 448 species of the group are recognized, and 

 thus we have, including species described meanwhile and since, nearly 

 i60 species of that family or group of families. These, some or other, 

 inhabit all the tropical countries aud are represented by a few outlyers 

 in both the northern and southern temperate regions. {Ibis (4), iii, p. 

 112.) 



Light iveight of the Hornbill. — Some interesting observations have 

 been published by Prof. Alidionse Milne-Edwards on one of the horn- 

 bills {Galao rhinoceros). The individual serving for these observations 



