230 Recent Literature. 



of all the species noted, however, follows, consisting of a tabular list of 

 128 species, arranged to show their distribution. We regret to notice that. 

 Mr. Lawrence omits to further summarize the results of the special cata- 

 lo<mes, as well as all discussion of the relationship of the bird-life of these 

 islands with each other and with that of contiguous regions, — a subject 

 he. is so well able to treat. Of the 48 species of Passeres, only five (Smrus 

 ncevius, S. motacilla, Dendraca virens, Setojihatja ruticilla, Hirundo horreo- 

 rum) are migrants from North America, while about the same number 

 occur in the contiguous parts of South America. Probably fully three 

 fourths of the whole number are restricted to the West Indian Fauna, and 

 about one fourth of these, so far as now known, are confined respectively 

 to single islands of the Lesser Antilles. Of the seven Humming-birds, 

 one only is South American, and the two or three species of Parrots art 

 eaeli restricted to single islands. The rest of the species (Striges to 

 Pygopodes, inclusive of both), or nearly one half of the whole, are too 

 wide-ranging to afford distinctive data, nearly all occurring in the United 

 Slates, while the greater part are also found in South America. As would 

 lie expected, the general fades of the bird-fauna of the Lesser Antilles, 

 so far as the Land Birds are concerned, — the only proper basis for a 

 comparison, — is that of Middle America rather than of South America, 

 nearly all of the genera being represented most abundantly in Southern 

 Mexico and Central America. Although a large proportion of the genera 

 occur also in North America, only Dendrceca, amon<_ r the resident birds, 

 can lie considered as distinctively North American, the others having a 

 wide distribution in both North and South America. 



As an indication of bow little was known of the bird-life of the Lesser 

 Antilles prior to Mr. Ober's visit, and of the importance of the contribu- 

 tion to our knowledge of the subject * made by the joint labors of Messrs. 

 Ober and Lawrence, it maybe noted that some twenty or more species 

 and varieties were first made known from Mr. Ober'fl collections. From 

 the shortness of Mr. Ober's stay at most of the points visited, and the 

 number of Bpecies seen that were not strictly determined, it is evident tliat 

 there is still work here for future explorers. — J. A. A. 



Elliot's Synopsis of the Trociiilid.e. — Few groups of birds are 

 more replete with points of interest than the great family of the TrochilidcB 

 or Humming-Birds, remarkable alike for brilliancy of plumage, variety of 

 form, peculiarities of habit, and geographical distribution. While they 

 have been the subject of expensively illustrated monographs, and of va- 



Antilles visited by Mr. Fred. A. Ober; with a Table showing their Distribu- 

 tion, ami those found in the United States. By Ueorge N. Lawrence. Proa 

 I 8. Nat. Mas., Vol. I. pp. 486-488, May, 1879. 



* For a history of pre\ ions contributions to the ornithology of these islands, 

 see Sclater, Proc. Zo8l. Soc. LoncL, 1871, pp. 268 -267. 



