220 Eecenthj published Ornithological Works. 



XIX. — Notices of recent Ornithological Publications. 



[Contiuued from p. 117.] 

 48. 'The Auk.' 



[' Tlie Auk,' a Quarterly Journal of Ornitliology. Continuation of the 

 ' Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club.' Vol. I. No. 4, October 

 1884; Vol. II. No. 1, January 1885. Boston, Mass.] 



In the number published last October_, IVLr. W. B. 

 Burrows's list of the birds of the Lower Uruguay is con- 

 cluded; and there are several other interesting papers on 

 pure ornithology. Amongst these is a description of a new 

 subspecies of Willow -Grouse from Newfoundland, called by 

 Dr. L. Stejneger Lagojms alba alleni, distinguished from 

 L. alba by having the shafts of the primaries and secondaries 

 black, and the wing-feathers_, even some of the coverts, 

 mottled with blackish. No less than three papers treat, 

 more or less, of the question of zoological nomenclature, 

 commencing with one contributed by Prof. Coues, dated 

 "May 27th, S.S. 'Oregon,' Mid-ocean,'' and ending with 

 the third series of the "Analecta Ornithologica " by Dr. Stej- 

 neger. This is followed by the Report of the Second Meeting 

 of the American Ornithologists' Union, at which the Editors 

 of ' The Ibis ' were courteously invited to assist ; and they 

 take this opportunity of expressing — although inadequately 

 — their sense of the kind attentions they everywhere expe- 

 rienced from their brother ornithologists in America. 



The earlier papers in the 'Auk ' for January relate almost 

 entirely to American birds ; but Dr. Stejneger contributes a 

 fourth series of his " Analecta Ornithologica," and Dr. C. 

 Hart Merriam (who is now in Europe, and may be expected 

 to visit us in April) gives an interesting Preliminary Report 

 of the Committee on Bird-Migration. If hard work and 

 elaborate returns from all parts of an area far exceeding that 

 of Europe can teach us some truths about the migrations of 

 birds, we are now in a fair way to obtain them. Six thou- 

 sand circulars have been distributed, and one thousand 

 returns have been received during the first year ! We 

 understand that Congress will vote aid to the extent of 

 ®5000 (£1000) for the first year; our British Migration 

 Committee receives £35 from the British Association ! 



