Recently published OriiUhological Works. 345 



archaic forms, and thus allow of the tracing of the various 

 modifications. Such types as the Gallinaceous birds and 

 Chauna lie at the base of the series with numerous regular 

 folds quite like those of a crocodile. Thence the changes 

 that have taken place can be followed out in several directions, 

 and with great ease to the reader on account of the useful 

 diagrammatic lines of ascent figured on the author's plates. It 

 must be gratifying to him, as it is reassuring to us, to 

 find that the scheme recommended does not do violence to 

 old-established views of classification. Thus the Petrels 

 are placed near to the Storks and Herons as W. A. Forbes 

 urged they should be ; and the Gulls are put near the 

 Charadriiform birds. It is largely the absence of all sen- 

 sational reshuffling of the groups which leads us to believe 

 that Dr. Mitchell has tapped a new source of information, 

 which will serve, perhaps even better than anything that has 

 gone before, to help us to the proper arrangement of birds. 



61. Nelson on new Mexican Birds. 



[Descriptions of a new Genus and eleven new Species and Subspecies 

 of Birds from Mexico. By E. VV. Nelson. Proc. Biol. Soc. Washington, 

 xiv. pp. 169-175.] 



Mr. Nelson describes as " new species " Crax chapmani 

 from Yucatan, Attila mexicanus from Tabasco, Myiopagis 

 yucatanensis from Yucatan, Stelgidoptei'yx ridgivayi from 

 Yucatan and Mexico, and Troglodytes peninsularis from 

 Yucatan, besides several subspecies. A new genus " Nyctia- 

 grius " is made for Caprimulgus yucatcmicus Hartert (Cat. B. 

 xvi. p. 575). 



63. Osgood on the Birds of the Queen Charlotte Islands. 



[Natural History of the Queen Charlotte Islands. By Wilfred IT, 

 Osgood. N. American Fauna, No. 21, pp. 7-50, pis. i.-v. Washington, 

 1901.] 



After an introductory account of the islands, which lie 

 off the coast of British Columbia, and details of their physio- 

 graphy, Mr. Osgood proceeds to tabulate the species of 

 Vertebrates which are found there, furnishing in conclusion 

 notes on those of most inipojtance and a bibliography of the 



