Recently published Ornithological Works. 231 



74. Olphe-Galliard on the Ornithology of Western Europe. 



[Contributions a la Jt'^une Ornithologique de FEurope Occidentale. 

 Par L^on Olphe-Galliard. Fasc. 1. 8vo. Bayonne : 1884.] 



The present work is intended to treat of the birds of Spain 

 and Portugal, the Azores_, the Balearic Islands, France, 

 French Switzerland, the Rhine valley to the North Sea, 

 the coasts of Belgium, the British Islands, and the Channel 

 Islands. We do not know why the Canaries are excluded. 

 Following Scopoli, the class Aves is dedicated to Edwards — 

 the author commencing with the suborder Anseres, com- 

 prising, so far, the Auks, Divers, and Grebes. There is 

 evidence of great research, but we have some doubt whether 

 the more recent authorities have been always consulted. 



75-78. Ridgway on American Birds. 



[75. Note on Selasphorus torridus, Salvin. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. 1884, 

 p. 14. 



76. Melanetta fusca (Linn.) in Alaska. Tom. cit. p. 68. 



77. Description of a new Snow-Bunting from Alaska. Loc. cit, 



78. Description of a new Species of Coot from the West Indies. Tom. 

 cit. p. 358.] 



In No. 75 the Selasphorus from the Volcan de Irazii, Costa 

 Eica, recorded in vol. v. p. 497 as S. flammula, is referred 

 to S. torridus. In No. 76 it is stated that the European 

 Velvet Scoter has been obtained by Mr. C. L. M'^Kay in 

 Alaska, where Melanetta velvetina also occurs. No. 77 con- 

 tains a description of a very fine and distinct new species of 

 Snow-Bunting which has been discovered in Alaska by the 

 Smithsonian collectors. IMr. Ridgway calls it Plectrophenax 

 hyperboreus ; the adult male in spring is pure white, except 

 on the ends of the five outer primaries, which are chiefly 

 black. According to No. 78, the new Coot, Fulica caribbcea, 

 from Guadeloupe and St. Johns, W. L, is allied to F. ameri- 

 cana, but differs in its slenderer bill and the form and colour 

 of the frontal shield. 



