616 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



Mr. Peck will shortly publish a complete list of the birds of 

 British Honduras. 



85. Beebe on the Seasonal Changes of Colour in Birds. 



[Preliminary Report on an Investigation of the Seasonal Changes of 

 Colour in Birds. By C. W. Beebe. Amer. Nat. xlii. p. 34 (1908).] 



Mr. Beebe at the Zoological Park, New York, is making 

 a series of experiments on the cause of certain birds 

 assuming a special plumage during the breeding-season 

 and then moulting into a winter dress. He finds that by 

 confining such birds in small cages, while gradually cutting 

 off the supply of light and increasing the amount of food, lie 

 is able to make them " skip " the winter plumage altogether, 

 and, when they moult, to pass from one nuptial plumage 

 to another nuptial plumage without ever putting on the 

 dull dress of the winter season. He thinks that it is thus 

 proven that " the sequence of plumage in these birds is not 

 in any way predestined through inJicritance bringing about 

 an unchangeable succession/' but that it may be '^inter- 

 rupted by certain external factors." Mr. Beebe has dis- 

 covered an interesting fact, but we are not sure that the 

 conclusion drawn from it is correct. 



86. Berlepsch on the Birds of Cayenne. 



[On the Birds of Cayenne. By Hans, Graf v. Berlepsch. Nov. Zool. 

 XV. p. 103 (1908).] 



No one in these days understands South- American birds 

 better than Graf v. Berlepsch, and Dr. Hartert has done 

 well to place the series of skins gathered together by the 

 experienced American collector, Mr. George K. Cherrie, 

 during a four-months' visit to Cayenne, in the Count's hands. 

 The thirteen hundred well- prepared specimens obtained on 

 this occasion have been carefully studied, while those 

 recorded by former authorities have been added to the List. 

 The result is a nearly complete account of this attractive 

 Avifauna, which Mr. Cherrie pronounces to be " very rich 

 both in species and individuals." The first portion of 

 the article which is now before us enumerates 280 species, 

 and gives the necessary particulars about each of them. The 



