2 CO Recent Literature. [July 



discussed in detail, and the relationships of the different forms carefully 

 considered. 



In Part III the Rails and their allies are similarly treated, of which four 

 species are referred to Porzana, one to Rallus, one to Gallicrex, one (o 

 presumed occurrence) to Amauror?iis, one to Gallinula, and one to Fulica. 



Dr. Stejneger has also published a paper on a collection of birds made 

 in the Liu Kiu Islands, Japan, by Mr. M. Namiye,* containing descrip- 

 tions of five new species and one new genus, as follows : Treron fermagna. 

 Hypsipetes frycri, Icotiirus namiyei (gen. et. sp. nov.), Chclidon tiami- 

 yei, and Pericrocotus tegima>. Mcgascops elegans (Cass.) is added to the 

 Japanese fauna, and its relationship to M. japonicus is discussed at 

 length.— J. A. A. 



Blakiston on the Water-Birds of Japan. t — In a paper of nine pages Mr. 

 Blakiston discusses in a very interesting way, the distribution of the 

 Water Birds of Japan, the character of their distribution being indicated 

 by two tables, prefaced by three pages of explanatory remarks and a dis- 

 cussion of the facts presented in tabular form. The first table includes 

 all the Water Birds of Japan, including the Kurils, Bonins, and other out- 

 lying islands. The 94 species are arranged in four columns, according 

 to their distribution, as 'circumpolar', 'Pahearctic', 'East Asiatic', or 

 'Pacific'. The second table exhibits, so far as available data will permit, 

 "the distribution of Sea-birds peculiar to the North Pacific." These, 

 numbering 60 species, are distributed in three columns, under the heads 

 'Only on the Asiatic side', 'Common to both sides', and 'Only on the 

 American side'. From this table it appears that twice as many birds are 

 peculiar to the American side as to the Asiatic side, but this dispropor- 

 tion, as Mr. Blakiston observes, may be more apparent than real, owing 

 to the ornithology of the eastern side being much better known than that 

 of the western side. The tables are followed by several pages of critical 

 and technical remarks on many of the species enumerated. — J. A. A. 



Wells and Lawrence on the Birds of Grenada, West Indies. — For the 



last three years Mr. Wells has been sending specimens of the birds of the 

 Island of Grenada, West Indies, to Mr. Lawrence for identification, from 

 which has resulted the present 'Catalogue'! of ninety-two species of the birds 

 of the island. As Mr. Lawrence states, in a prefatory note, "Mr. Wells 

 enumerates thirty-eight species more than are given by Mr. Ober in his 

 catologue of the birds of Grenada. He procured all the species obtained 

 or seen by Mr. Ober, and four he had not identified have been determined. 



* On a Collection of Birds made by Mr. M. Namiye, in the Liu Kiu Islands, Japan, 

 with descriptions of new species. Ibid., pp. 634-651. (Dated Feb. 14, 1887; received 

 March 17, 1887.) 



t Water- Birds of Japan. By J. W. Blakiston. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 1886, pp. 

 652-660. 



X A Catalogue of the Birds of Grenada, West Indies, with observations thereon. 

 By John Grant Wells, of Grenada. Edited by George N. Lawrence. Proc. U. S. Nat, 

 Mus., 1886, pp. 609-633. Signatures dated Feb. 11, 1887. 



