Vol. XIX-| Recent Literature. 97 



1Q02 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Ridgway's 'Birds of North and Middle America.' Parti. '—Doubt- 

 less no recent work on American birds will receive a more cordial welcome 

 than this ' Part I ' of Mr. Ridgwaj's long projected treatise on the ' Birds of 

 North and Middle America.' Some idea of the amount of labor involved 

 in treating the 3000 species embraced in this wide area can be obtained 

 by an examination of the present volume — the lirst of a contemplated 

 series of eight— which includes only the single family Fringillidoe, 

 numbering 389 species and subspecies. As stated in the author's preface : 

 "Although preparations for the present work have been more or less 

 actively conducted for some twenty years past, as time and opportunity 

 permitted, the actual work of putting together the vast amount of material 

 accumulated during that period was not begun until September, 1894, 

 when the author was directed by Dr. G. Brown Goode, Assistant Secre- 

 tary of the Smithsonian Institution, in charge of the National Museum, 

 to consider of paramount importance among his official duties the task of 

 'making available, through publication, the results of the ornithological 

 work of the Government, as represented in the collections of the Smith- 

 sonian Institution.' The labor of collating references pertaining to more 

 than 3000 species of birds, verifying citations of original descriptions, 

 measuring many thousands of specimens, and other time-consuming 

 details connected with the preparation of such a work has necessarily 

 delayed the beginning of its publication; but most of this drudgery 

 having been disposed of, it is hoped that future progress may be more 

 rapid." 



As to the scope of the work, the author says : " In the following pages 

 the attempt is made to describe every species and subspecies, or definable 

 form, of bird found on the continent of North America, from the arctic 

 districts to the eastern end of the Isthmus of Panama, together with those 

 of the West Indies and other islands of the Caribbean Sea (except Trini- 

 dad and Tobago), and the Galapagos Archipelago; introduced and natura- 

 lized species being included, as well as accidental or casual visitors." 



"The classification presented," it is stated, "is essentially that of the 

 most recent and advanced authorities, with such minor modifications as 



1 The Birds ] of | North and Middle America : | A Descriptive Catalogue | of 

 the I Higher Groups, Genera, Species and Subspecies of Birds | known to 

 occur in North America, from the | Arctic Lands to the Isthmus of Pan- 

 ama, I the West- Indies and other Islands | of the Caribbean Sea, and the | Gal- 

 apagos Archipelago. | By | Robert Ridgway, | Curator, Division of Birds. 

 I — I Part I. I Family Fringillidse — the Finches. | — | Washington : | Gov- 

 ernment Printing Office. | 1901= Bulletin of the United States National 

 Museum. No. 50. — Svo. pp. i-xx.xii, + il. = errata, -f- pp. 1-7 1 5' P"- i--^-^- 



