78 Recent Literature. 



Owls (Striges) are all referred to the family Bubonidce, except the genera 

 Strix and Phodilus, which alone constitute the family Strigidm. 



Mr. Sharpe gives the number of species of the Diurnal Birds of Prey as 

 three hundred and seventy-seven, of which twenty-there are regarded as 

 doubtful. Of the remainder three hundred and twenty-five are repre- 

 sented in the collection of the British Museum, the total number of 

 specimens falling little short of twenty-five hundred. 



Respecting the North American species, it may be noted that our com- 

 mon Rough-legged Hawk is considered as specifically distinct from the 

 European, the two bearing the names respectively of Archibuteo sanctijo- 

 hannis and .4. lagopus. The Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetus), the Pere- 

 grine Falcons (Falco communis), and the Fish-Hawks (Pandion haliaetus), 

 on the other hand, are regarded as identical. The generic term Cerchneis 

 (Boie, 1826) is adopted for the Sparrow-Hawks, of which several of Mr. 

 Ridg way's varieties are raised to the rank of species. 



Of the Owls, about one hundred and ninety species are recognized, of 

 which ten are regarded as doubtful. They are represented in the British 

 Museum by about eleven hundred specimens. The Snowy Owl (A 

 scandiaca) of North America, contrary to the opinion of some American 

 writers, is held to be identical with that of Europe, the two being con- 

 sidered as not separable even as races, Mr. Sharpe being unable to appre- 

 ciate any differences of color, but admitting a slight difference in the amount 

 of feathering of the toes. The Long-eared Owls (for which the generic 

 name Asio, Brisson, 1766, is adopted) of America and Europe he admits 

 as subspecies of a circumpolar "Asio otus." The nearly cosmopolite 

 Short-eared Owl (called " Asio accipitrinus ") he divides into several races 

 or Bubspeeies, of which the American (its habitat including both North 

 and South America) forms " /3. Asio cassini." Richardson's Owl is re- 

 garded as identical with the European Tengmalm's Owl (Xyctale tengmal- 

 mi). Of the Barn-Owls (Strix flammca), while recognizing a number of 

 "striking forms," he says : " My conclusion with regard to the Barn Owls 

 is, that there is one dominant type which prevails generally over the con- 

 tinents of the Old and New Worlds, being darker or lighter according 

 to different localities, but possessing no distinctive specific characters. 

 Insular birds vary, but cannot be specifically distinguished, as they can 

 always be approached by continental specimens in a large series." 



In the third volume Mr. Sharpe enters upon the great series of Passerine 

 Birds, of which hi' here treats the families Corvidce, Paradiseidce, Oriolidce, 

 Vierwrida, and Prionopidoe, which lie unites to form the group Coliomor- 

 j)h(r,at[\\a\ to the Coliomorphic of Sundevall, with some genera added and 

 others excluded. The species here described by Mr. Sharpe number three 

 hundred and sixty-seven, all but about fifty of which are represented in 

 the British Museum, the number of specimens being a little over two 

 thousand. Of these four families the Corvidce, or ('rows and Jays, are 

 alone represented in America, the others being mainly African, Indian, and 



