Marts >| Recent Literature. 221 
RECENT LITERATURE. 
The Allen Bibliography.'!— A most welcome addition to bibliographic 
literature is the catalogue of the published scientific writings of Dr. J. A. 
Allen. We feel sure that all readers of ‘The Auk’ will heartily endorse the 
foreword by Prof. Henry Fairfield Osborn in which he states that the life 
and writings of Dr. Allen ‘‘have exerted so great an influence on the progress 
of ornithology and mammalogy in America that all who have the interest 
of these branches of science at heart, both in this country and abroad, will 
welcome this biographical and bibliographical volume.” ‘“‘It is issued’’ 
he adds ‘‘as an expression of the appreciation of Doctor Allen’s life work 
by the Trustees of The American Museum of Natural History and his 
devoted colleagues on its Scientific Staff’’. 
The total number of titles amounts to 1453, of which 966 relate to birds, 
the other topics covered being mammals, reptiles, zo6geography, nomen- 
elature, and biography. Of mammals he has described no less than 573 new 
forms and 21 new genera and subgenera, while of birds he has named 49 
new forms and 4 new genera. These figures alone will give some idea of 
the tremendous amount of work that Dr. Allen has accomplished and a 
perusal of the titles themselves will further emphasize the breadth of his 
knowledge and the part that he has played in developing his favorite 
branches of science. 
By far the most interesting portion of the volume, however, is the de- 
lightful autobiographical sketch which precedes the bibliography. Others 
can express their appreciation of a man’s life work and set forth its value to 
the world, but no one can describe the conditions under which it developed 
or the factors that contributed to its growth, so well as the man himself. 
Weare therefore, under obligations to Dr. Allen for this sketch which is most. 
interesting reading and rich in historical detail, much of which probably 
no one but Dr. Allen could furnish at this late day. 
To quote again from Prof. Osborn’s foreword: “we are sure that natu- 
ralists in all parts of the world will unite in felicitating Dr. Allen on the great 
work which he has accomplished and in wishing him many more years of 
strength and activity ’’.— W. S. 
Thorburn’s ‘ British Birds ’.2— With the third and fourth volumes of 
Mr. Thorburn’s splendid work before us, another of the many books 
1 Autobiographical Notes and a Bibliography of the Scientific Publications of Joel Asaph 
Allen. Published by the American Museum of Natural History, New York. 1916. S8vo. 
pp. 1-215, frontispiece portrait. 
2 British Birds | written and illustrated by | A. Thorburn, F. Z. S. | With eighty plates 
in colour, showing over four hundred species. | In four volumes | Vol. III | Longmans, 
Green and Co. | 39 Paternoster Row, London | Fourth Avenue & 30th Street, New York | 
Bombay, Calcutta, and Madras |1916.! All rights reserved.| Large 4to. pp. 1-87, pll. 
41-60. Vol. IV. 1916. pp. 1-107, pll. 61-80. [Price $10. per volume, net.] 
