3 68 



Recent Literature, [October 



and the writer of this review, at frequent intervals from early in December 

 till into March, which differ not in the least in respect to the black face- 

 markings from summer specimens. And similar examples are, to our 

 knowledge, in various collections, both public and private, notably in 

 those of Messrs. Brewster, Cory, and others, and that of Princeton 

 College. 



Four beautiful plates illustrate Mr. Sharpe's monograph of the Mnio- 

 tiltidse, in which are figured the heads of eight species of Geot//h'f>is, 

 while full-length figures are given of G. speciosa, Partita pitiayumi, 

 /'. nigrilora, Teretristis fernandina, and T. fornsi. 



The genus Polioptila (with 13 species) is noticed in an 'Appendix to 

 the family Mniotiltidse' (pp. 440-445), the group having been omitted by 

 Mr. Seebohm from the Sylviida;, where authors have generally placed it. 

 Mr. Sharpe believes that their most natural position is '-in the vicinity of 

 the Muscicapine genus Stenostira." 



In the family Motacillidae, the Field Wagtails, usually separated as a 

 genus Budytes, are placed with the Water Wagtails under the single genus 

 Motacilla, there being "certain intermediate species .... which unite these 

 two supposed genera." Yet he considers it expedient to continue the 

 generic separation of Anthus spraguei from Anthus proper, under the 

 genus Neocorys. As already noticed (antea, p. 290, footnote), our Tit- 

 lark is made a subspecies of the Old World Water Pipit, Anthus spipoletta, 

 (sfiinoletta Linn., and 'auct. plur.'), under which it stands as "Subsp. a. 

 Anthus pennsylvanicus." A similar disposition of it was made previously 

 by Mr. Seebohm (Hist. Brit. Bds., II, 1S83, p. 24S). The adoption of 

 'radical changes' in specific names, when called for by nomenclatural 

 rules does not seem to inspire in our author, we are glad to see, the same 

 degree of dread as 'radical changes' in generic names, though we fail to 

 trace any principle of consistency in such diverse action under similar 

 contingencies. — J. A. A. 



Turner's List of the Birds of Labrador.* — While Mr. Turner's List' 

 is very valuable, and will prove very useful, it is at the same time disap- 

 pointing and unsatisfactory, owing largely to the faulty plan of its con- 

 struction. Mr. Turner spent nearly two years and four months (from 

 July 15, 1SS2, to October 5, 1884) in Labrador; his investigations being 

 made chietly " in the vicinity of Fort Chimo, situated about 27 miles up 

 the Koksoak River, flowing into Ungava Bay, which is an immense pocket 

 toward the eastern portion of the south side of Hudson Strait," where he 

 " remained from August 6, 1SS2, to September 4, 1SS4." His list includes 

 about 207 species, only a few more than one-half of which appear to have 

 come under his own observation. Quite a number of the others are 



* List of the Birds of Labrador, including Ungava, East Main, Moose, and Gulf 

 Districts of the Hudson Bay Company, together with the Island of Anticosti. By 

 Lucien M. Turner. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., VIII, i335, pp. 233-254. Published July 13. 



