492 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



continues his account of the Oscines of North and Middle 

 America, and treats of the birds of the families Motacillidae, 

 Hirundinidse, Ampelidag, Ptilogonatidse, Dulidre, Vireonidae, 

 Laniidse, Corvidse, Paridae, Sittidse, Certhiidae, Troglodytidse, 

 Cinclidae, Chamaeidae, and Sylviidae. Most of these terms are 

 familiar to us, but, Dulidae is a new family-name made for 

 the reception of the peculiar type Dulus (or Palm-Chat) of 

 the island of Haiti, which it is certainly not easy to fit in 

 with any other known form. The " Ptilogonatidse," as 

 Mr. Ridgway calls them, arc also separated from the 

 Ampelidae with which they have been hitherto associated. 

 Mr. Ridgway writes of them as follows : — 



"They are related to the Wax- wings (Ampelidae) and have 

 usually been placed with them, but they differ in their 

 rounded wings with well-developed tenth and shortened ninth 

 primaries, their well-developed rictal bristles, and the different 

 character of the frontal feathers. Their habits, however, are 

 said to be very similar." In the Ptilogonatidae are placed 

 the genera Ptilogonys, Phainopepla, and Phainoptila. But 

 Mr. Ridgway is doubtful whether the last-named genus truly 

 belongs to this group. " So far as the adult is concerned," 

 he says, " it might easily be referred to the Turdidae, but the 

 young have the plumage absolutely plain- coloured and the 

 ncrotarsium distinctly scutellate." 



The" Chamaeidae," consisting of the single genus Chamtea, 

 is another example of a peculiar Oscinine Family of North 

 America. The form has been placed sometimes with the Tits, 

 sometimes with the Wrens. Mr. Ridgway now solves this 

 uncertainty by attesting its full family-rank. Mr. Lucas, who 

 has made a careful investigation of its osseous structure, has 

 come to the conclusion that " in its cranial characters it is 

 much like Psaltriparus, while the shoulder-girdle is slightly 

 and the pelvic girdle decidedly Wren-like." " Wren-tit" is 

 therefore a very appropriate name for this little bird, which 

 lias hitherto enjoyed the distinction of constituting the only 

 Family of the Passerine Order peculiar to the Nearctic Region. 

 It was until lately supposed that there was only one form 

 of Chamcea ; but the more acute eyes of modern observers 



