Recent Ornithological Publications. 473 



no reasou to change any of his views, additional specimens con- 

 firming the position assi^raed, especially as regards ^. exilipes. 

 We must take this opportunity of acknowledging Mr. Coues's 

 courtesy in transmitting to us specimens of the latter species 

 and jE. fuscescens. 



The ' Proceedings of the Boston Society of Natural History ' 

 for October of last year contain a paper by Mr. A. E. Verrill, 

 entitled " Notes on the Natural History of Anticosti/' con- 

 taining an account of the investigations made during an expedi- 

 tion to that island, undertaken by the author in the summer 

 of 1861, in company with Messrs. Hyatt and Straker, " for the 

 purpose of studying the geology of Anticosti, and making col- 

 lections of fossils and other objects of natural history." The 

 catalogue of the birds observed at Anticosti and in the vicinity 

 contains about sixty species. The most interesting notes are 

 those relating to the birds which breed on the rocks and shores of 

 Anticosti. Of these the principal seem to be the Cliff-swallow 

 [Hirundo lunifrons), which was breeding in large numbers at 

 Cape Eagle " under the high overhanging limestone-cliffs," July 

 15th; the Long-tailed Duck [Harelda glacialis), which "breeds 

 abundantly ;" and the Red-breasted Merganser (Mer^'MS serrator), 

 which is "very common." Amongst the land-birds, two spe- 

 cimens of a species of Passerella were obtained, apparently dis- 

 tinct from the common American P. iliaca, and provisionally de- 

 scribed as new under the name P. obscura. 



Another ornithological paper by the same gentleman, of which 

 we have received a separate copy, is a " Catalogue of the Birds 

 found at Norway, Oxford Co., Maine"*. Short notes are given 

 referring to each species, and some very pertinent remarks on the 

 importance of the study of geographical distribution precede 

 the list, which is very superior to most of the local lists which 

 come before us. 



* Reprinted from vol. iii. of the ' Proceedings of the Essex Institute.* 



VOL. V. 3 K 



