466 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



•with special indications of tlieir nestiug-liabits and eggs, 

 makes an interesting chapter which might be almost inde- 

 finitely expanded. But it is not quite correct to say that in 

 all the Ratitse incubation is performed by tlie male bird only, 

 as there is, we believe, no doubt that in the case of the 

 Ostriches both parents sit in turns. 



No more attractive present could, in our opinion, be given 

 to a youthful ornithologist than a copy of ' Wonders of the 

 Bird-world.' 



85. Shufeldt on the Classijication of Birds. 



[Observations on the Classification of Birds. By Dr. R. W. Shuftldt. 

 Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Thilad. 1898, p. 489.] 



Dr. Shufeldt discusses a great subject in a few pages, and 

 promulgates several points of doctrine that we generally 

 approve, especially as regards the worthlessness of single 

 anatomical characters in avian anatomy. But we do not 

 agree that the Loons and Grebes have much to do with the 

 Pelicans; and we wish that Dr. Shufeldt would not write 

 " affined,^' as there is no such word in the English language. 



86. Stone on the Moulting of Birds. 



[The Molting of Birds, with special referer,ce to the Plumages of the 

 Smaller Laud-Birds of Eastern North America. By Witmer Stone. 

 Proc. Ac. Nat. Sci. Philad. 1896, p. 108.] 



Our attention has been called to the fact that the receipt 

 of a copy of JVIr. Witmer Stone's paper on the moult of 

 birds, published in 1896, was acknowledged, but that the 

 memoir was never reviewed. We regret that this important 

 treatise on a subject of great interest was overlooked, but 

 can now only say that it embraces the results of long and 

 careful studies on this difficult question, and should be 

 consulted by all who are interested in the moulting of birds. 

 ]\Ir. Stone is a strong opponent of the theory of the direct 

 change of colour in feathers without moult, advocated by 

 Schlegel, Gatke, and many other well-known ornithologists. 



