482 Messi's. Salvin and Sclater's Index of the 



Whitney (the State Geologist) is already well known for his 

 zoological collections and discoveries in the far west, and has been 

 engaged on this service since 1860. Dr. Cooper's report on the 

 birds, when finished, was submitted to Prof. Baird for revision 

 and publication, and has resulted in the work of which the pre- 

 sent volume is the first instalment. To generic and specific 

 characters, taken from Prof. Baird's ' Birds of North America,' 

 arc added Cooper's field-notes ; and the remaining species of 

 birds found in the other Western states have been inserted in their 

 proper places, so that we have in fact a complete Ornithology 

 of Western America, under the experienced editorship of Prof. 

 Baird. The work is profusely illustrated with excellent wood- 

 cuts, representing the heads of every species, the structural pecu- 

 liarities of every genus, and one small whole figure of a bird of each 

 genus ; so that it will be most valuable for the identification of 

 species. The present contains the " Land- birds," i. e. Oscines, 

 Clamatores, Strisores, Scansores, Raptores, Rasores, and Gal- 

 linse of Prof. Baird's arrangement. Three new species are de- 

 scribed — Leucosticte littoralis, Baird, p. 162, L.campestris, Baird, 

 p. 163, and Junco annectens, Baird, p. 564. A second volume 

 will contain the " Water-birds." An Appendix to the present 

 volume contains an " explanation of terms used in describing 

 the external form of birds," very carefully and elaborately pre- 

 pared, and giving the Latin equivalents of the technical expres- 

 sions. 



WiCKEVOORT-CrOMMELIN, J. P. VAN. 



Letter from. Ibis, 1870, p. 442. 



Expresses doubts as to the specific distinctness of the Conti- 

 nental and British races of Parus caudatus as maintained by Mr. 

 Sharpe. 



Wood, W. T. 



1. The Courtship of Birds. Student, 1870, pp. 113-125, 

 with two plates. 



Describes the singular attitudes assumed by some species of 

 birds during the period when the males court the females. 

 One of the plates shows the cock Tetrao cupido of North 

 America, and how he exhibits the peculiarities of his plumage, the 



