904 Recent Literature. Coe 
1912-1913. (Archiv. de Verein der Freunde der Naturgeschichte in 
Mecklenburg, Vol. 68, 1914.) [In German.] 
Alvarado, Rodolfo. Catalogue of the Common and Scientific Names 
of the Birds of the Mexican Republic. (Bolet. dela Direc. de Estudios 
Biologicos, Mex., I, No. 5, pp. 471-559.) — A list of the technical and of 
the vernacular names each arranged alphabetically, the former following 
the nomenclature of the ‘ Biologia Centrali Americana’; and a systematic 
list of the technical names with their derivation. [In Spanish.] 
Oberholser, H. C. Notes on the Fringilline Genus Passerherbulus 
and its Nearest Allies. (The Ohio Journal of Science, XVII, No. 8, pp. 
332-336, 1917.) — This genus is claimed to be composite according to the 
standard adopted in separating it from Ammodramus and Centronyx, and 
either the three should be merged, when the name Ammodramus will 
prevail for the group, or Passerherbulus must be divided in three. In the 
latter case, Ammospiza is available for the Sharp-tailed Sparrow and a 
new name, Thryospiza is proposed (p. 332) for the Seaside Sparrow. 
The worst feature of the whole situation is that the horrible name 
“ Passer herbulus”’ proves to be a nomen nudum as originally proposed by 
Maynard and would have sunk into oblivion had not an innocent cataloguer 
of supposedly necessary changes in the A. O. U. Check-List, who abhorred 
the name, inadvertently added the two words necessary to give it status, 
and so not only perpetuated it but gained the opprobrium of being its 
author ! 
Thornton, R. W., J. E. Duerden and F. C. Smith. Report on the 
North African Ostriches (Report 2, Dept. Agric. of S. Afr., 1916) 
imported into South Africa in 1912. 
The northern plumes are much superior to those of the southern species. 
The two birds were successfully crossed and there is every prospect of pro- 
ducing a much higher grade of plumes. It is difficult to keep the pure 
northern bird alive in South Africa. 
Baker, E. C. Stuart. Game Birds of India, Burma and Ceylon. (Journ. 
Bombay Nat. Hist. Soc., XXV, No. 1, March 20, 1917.) 
Hopwood, J. C. and Mackenzie, J. M. D. A List of Birds from the 
Chin Hills. (bid.) — 219 species. 
Publications Received.— Bancroft, W. F. Directory of Officials 
and Organizations Concerned with the Protection of Birds and Game, 
1917. Biol. Survey, U. 8. Dept. Agr., August 2, 1917. 
Bergtold, W. H., M. D. A Study of the Incubation Periods of Birds. 
Kendrick-Bellamy Co., Denver, Colo., 1917, 8vo., pp. 1-109. Price, cloth 
bound, $1.50 postpaid. 
Brooks, W. Sprague. Notes on Some Falkland Island Birds. (Bull. 
Mus. Comp. Zodél., Vol. LXI, No. 7, June, 1917.) pp. 136-160, pls. 3. 
Howell, Alfred Brazier. Birds of the islands off the Coast of Southern 
California. Pacific Coast Avifauna No. 12, Cooper Ornithological Club, 
pp. 1-127. Price $1.50. 
