Recent Literature. 473 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



' The Standard Natural History' — 'Birds.'* — The 'bird volume' of the 

 well-known 'Standard Natural History,' published by S- E. Casino and 

 Company of Boston, well maintains the high degree of excellence charac- 

 terizing this important treatise on Zoology, now about completed in 

 six beautifully illustrated imperial octavo volumes, mostly by the leading 

 American authorities on the various subjects treated. The bird volume 

 is mainly by Dr. Leonhard Stejneger, who is doubtless responsible for 

 its general style and character, he having written the admirable 'Intro- 

 duction' (pp. 1-20), and nearly two-thirds of the general text, as follows: 

 Subclass I, Saurur.e (the Archaeopteryx), pp. 21-23; Subclass II, Odon- 

 totormse (toothed birds having the teeth in sockets), pp. 23-26; Subclass 

 III, Odontoholcai (toothed birds with the teeth in grooves), pp. 27-30; 

 Subclass IV, orders Struthiones (Ostriches, Cassowaries, Moas, Dodo, 

 etc.), pp. 31-47; ^piornithes, pp. 47, 4S ; Apteryges (Kiwis), pp. 4S-51 ; 

 Crypturi (Tinamous), pp. 51-54; Gastornithes (the extinct Gastornis 

 and allies), pp. 54, 55; Ptilopteri (Penguins), pp. 56-63; Cecomorphte 

 (Grebes, Auks, Guillemots, Puffins, Skuas, Gulls, Terns, Skimmers, 

 Albatrosses, and Petrels), pp. 64-91 ; Grallie (Plovers, Sandpipers, Cranes, 

 Rails, etc.), pp. 91-132; Chenomorphaj (Screamers, Ducks, Geese, 

 Swans, Flamingoes, etc.), pp. 132-157; Herodii (Ibises, Storks, Herons, 

 Boatbills, etc.), pp. 157-179; Steganopodes (Tropic-birds, Frigate-birds, 

 Pelicans, Cormorants, Darters, etc.), pp. 179-195; Picariae (except the 

 Hummingbirds), pp. 36S-441 ; Passeres, pp. 45S-547. In more general 

 terms. Dr. Stejneger has written the three subclasses of extinct birds, 

 the Struthious birds, the wading and swimming birds, the so-called 

 Picarian groups except the Hummingbirds, and the great group of Pas- 

 seres. 



Of the other groups Mr. Daniel G. Elliot has written the Opisthocomi 

 (pp. 196, 197), the Gallinae (pp. 197-237), the Columbae (pp. 237-259), and 

 the Hummingbirds (pp. 441-457), — groups to which he is well known to 

 have given special attention. 



Mr. Walter B. Ban-ows is responsible for the Accipitres (pp. 260-34S), 

 and Mr. J. S. Kingsley for the Psittaci (pp. 349-367). 



The work as a whole is deserving of high praise. While to a large de- 

 gree 'popular' in treatment, it presents a fair reflection of our present 

 knowledge of the structure and classification of the class Aves. As an 

 authoritative reviewer of the volume has already well said, " No work issued 

 in Europe contains such a good general account of the Class of Birds ac- 

 cording to the most recent researches of naturalists, and brings one into 

 acquaintance with the newest discoveries in this group of vertebrates." 



*The Standard | Natural History, | Edited by John Sterling Kingsley. | Vol. IV. | 

 Birds. I Illustrated | by two hundred and seventy-three wood-cuts and twenty-five | full- 

 page plates. I Boston : | S. E. Casino and Company. | 1885. Imp. 8vo, pp. viii -f- 558. 



