86 Recent Literature. 



2. Never mention the loss common species, without stating date and lo- 

 cality of capture, and name of collector. 



3. Always give the authority for all statements which you are not per- 

 sonally responsible for. 



4. Never trust to the identification (much less mere opinion) of an inex- 

 perienced collector, but make it a rule to see for yourself, and fully iden- 

 tity each species. If the slightest doubt remains concerning the identity 

 of a bird, it is far better to send it at once to some acknowledged authority 

 than run the risk of error. — C. H. M. 



Barrows's " Catalogue of the Alcid.e." — Of the twenty-one species 

 of Alcidce recognized by Mr. Barrows,* nine appear to be unrepresented in 

 the Society's collection ; of the remaining twelve short original descriptions 

 an- given, sufficiently detailed for the easy recognition of the species. Mr. 

 Barrows does not think the family can be subdivided into groups <>f a 

 higher than generic value. The true affinities of the species he believes 

 can only be determined by a thorough study of their embryologies! devel- 

 opment. The character of this paper indicates that in Mr. Barrows we 

 have a valuable accession to our corps of ornithological students. — J. A. A. 



Feieden's "List of Birds observed in Smith Sound," etc. t — In 

 this list Captain Feilden, R. A., enumerates twenty-four species observed 

 by the recent British Arctic Expedition "in Smith Sound and northward, 

 between the seventy-eighth and eighty-third degrees of north latitude," 

 all of which are well-known Arctic forms. The land birds are Fal 

 dicans, Nyctea scandiaca, Plectrophanes nivalis, Corvus corax, and Lagopiu 

 rupesiris. The waders embrace Strepsilas interpret), JEgialitis hiaticula, 

 Calidris armaria, Phalaropus fulicaria, and Tringa canuta. The Bwim- 

 niing birds include Sterna maernra, I'aijoplnla rlmrnea, Rissa tridnctyln, 

 Lam* glaucus, Stercorarius longicavdatus, Procellaria glacialis, Uria grylle, 

 Mergulus alle, Alcabruennichi, Golymbtis{8eptentrionalis T),Harelda glacia- 

 lis, Somateria mollissima, S. spectabilis, and Bemicla brenta. Most of 

 them were repeatedly mel with at different Localities, some of them in 

 considerable numbers, and many were observed breeding. The quite de- 

 tailed notes respecting the species of this list render it a paper of unu-ual 

 interest. — J. A. A. 



* Catalogue of the Alcidse contained in Museum of the Boston Society ot 

 Natural Bistory, with a review and proposed classification of the Family. By 

 W. li. Barrows. Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist, Vol. XIX, pp, 150-165, No- 

 vember, 1877. 



t Lisl of Birds observed in Smith Sound, and in the Polar Basin during tie 

 Arctic Expedition of 1875-76. By 11. W. Feilden. Ibis, Fourth Series, VoL 

 1, pp. 10] - 412, October, L877. 



