Recently published Omit hoi oficul Works. 515 



and many other noted oniitliologists. Dr. Bureau writes on 

 the plumages of Sabine's Gull, and Preiherr v. Berlepsch on 

 the " Cliasse aux grives " of Central Europe, in the course of 

 which he states that over one million Thrushes are slaughtered 

 every year. More than half of these are Song-Thrushes 

 [Tardus musicus). 



Coloured figures are given of Ptilupus huttoni Finsch 

 (from Rapa^ South Pacific) and of a supposed hybrid between 

 Turdus ohscunis and T. iliacus from specimens in the Milan 

 Museum, also a photograph of a tame Humming-bird [Chloro- 

 stilbon splendidus) which died at Mihm after living six months 

 in captivity. 



The next Congress, it is stated, will be held in London, 

 witli Dr. Bowdler Sharpe as President. 



93. Ridgway on the Birds of North and Middle America. 



[The Birds of North and Middle America. By Kobert Ridgway. 

 Part I. Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus. no. 50, 1901.] 



We welcome with pleasure the first volume of the long- 

 promised work of Mr. Ridgway on the birds of North and 

 Middle America, and are sure that our friend and fellow- 

 labourer will not take amiss the remarks we here make upon 

 it. In the first place, we are glad that the author has been 

 driven, by stress of circumstances, to commence with the 

 most highly developed birds — the Passeres. It was a great 

 mistake, in our opinion, when certain modern ornithologists 

 determined to hegin " from the bottom upwards.'' One 

 way of treatment, if ])roperly carried out, is, of course, just 

 as correct as the other ; but as, up to a recent period, it had 

 always been the practice to commence with the highest 

 forms, it is very confusing to find the lowest types at the 

 top and the Passeres at the bottom. 



Mr. Ridgway, we are pleased to say, begins with the 

 nine-primaried Osciniuc Passeres, and his first volume is 

 entirely devoted to the Fringillidic, under which head he 

 includes — not without some reason, we admit — the group 

 that previous authors have usually classed as the Fringiliine 

 or Thick-lulled Tanagcrs. Of the huge family Fringillida^, 



SEU. VIIl. VOL. H. 2 M 



