490 Recent Literature. [oot 
of the group as a whole and began a compilation of data from published 
papers and manuscript notes of others who had visited the islands, which 
has resulted in the brochure before us. The author covers the whole 
series of islands generally known as the Santa Barbaras, from San Miguel 
on the north to San Clemente on the south as well as Los Coronados lying 
off the northern part of Lower California, which so far as their fauna is 
concerned belong to the same group. 
Altogether 195 species are considered, with 13 others in a hypothetical 
list. A full synonymy under each species gives all references to papers 
dealing with its occurrence on the islands. The text consists of a summary 
of these and other original data as well as a consideration of the relation 
of the island birds to those of the mainland in the case of resident species 
where there is any reason to suspect subspecifie differences. Nineteen 
island forms have been named, some of which have not been considered 
by the A. O. U. Committee as sufficiently differentiated to warrant 
recognition. Mr. Howell follows the views of the Committee in such cases 
so far as nomenclature is concerned though the differences are fully dis- 
cussed in his text. In one or two cases he points out slight differences 
between island and mainland representatives of other species but wisely 
refrains from burdening them with names. In a table appended to the 
list proper, the occurrence of each species on the various islands is graphi- 
cally shown, and they are further listed according to time and character of 
occurrence. We find here that no less than 56 species are resident, while 
eight others occur at any time of year but do not breed on the islands and 
six additional species are summer visitants. 
In the introductory pages Mr. Howell gives an interesting account of 
the physical features of the several islands and discusses the problems which 
their fauna presents. He considers the recognition of a Santa Barbara 
Island Faunal Area more a matter of geographical convenience than an 
indication of any peculiarity in the fauna. In the main he considers the 
island fauna San Diegan, though it contains Sierran elements and a sugges- 
tion of the San Francisco Bay Region. Changes in the habit of the resi- 
dent birds and the earlier nesting dates and period of molt as compared 
with birds of the mainland are described and an excellent bibliography and 
index close the publication. 
The plan of Mr. Howell’s fauna is excellent and it has been admirably 
carried out. Both he and the Cooper Club are to be congratulated upon 
this addition to their series.— W. S. 
Shufeldt on a Fossil Bird from the Florissant Shales.— This 
brief paper describes impressions of the foot and pelvis of a bird which Dr. 
Shufeldt regards as most closely resembling the Purple Grackle so far as 
measurements go and he is inclined to think that they represent a passerine 
1 Fossil Remains of What Appears to be a Passerine Bird from the Florissant Shales of 
Colorado. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. 53, pp. 453-455, pls. 60-61. August 15, 1917. 
