^°1908^^] Recent Literature. 8^ 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Widmann's ' Birds of Missouri.' — Mr. Widmann's 'Catalog of the Birds 

 of Missouri ' ' supplies a much needed Ust of the birds of that State. As 

 the author states, this is the first attempt at a Hst for the State of Mis- 

 souri. "It is based," he informs us, "chiefly on personal observations 

 made during the last thirty years"; but he has also availed himself of 

 the literature bearing on the subject, and of much unpublished informa- 

 tion contributed by other observers, whom he mentions in his introduction, 

 including the loan from the Bureau of the Biological Survey of the migra- 

 tion reports on birds of Missouri from 1884 to 1905. With such resources, 

 and Mr. Widmann's well known abilities as an observer and a writer, one 

 is led to expect a thoroughly trustworthy and full report upon the subject 

 in hand, and this volume of nearly 300 pages fully justifies such anticipa- 

 tion. 



The twenty pages of introductory matter give a resume of the literature 

 bearing upon the ornithology of the State; an explanation of the temis 

 used to denote relative abundance; an account of the faunal areas, the 

 climate and topography; remarks on the decrease of birds and the con- 

 tributing causes; and some good suggestions respecting bird protection. 

 The arrangement and nomenclature of the list is that of the second edition 

 of the A. O. U. Check-List and its supplements. "Synonyms, both 

 scientific and English, used in the works of American ornithologists, 

 principally those used by Wilson, Audubon, Nuttall, Baird, and Coues, 

 are given to enable students to find their way through the many and great 

 changes in nomenclature made since the first of these books was printed 

 ninety-eight years ago," — merely the names, however, without citation 

 of the authors. "The catalog is confined," the author tells us, "to a 

 detailed treatment of the geographic distribution of each species and sub- 

 species in accordance with the latest sources of information. This is fol- 

 lowed by a statement of its range in Missouri, manner of occurrence in 

 regard to season and relative abundance, dates of arrival and departure, 

 and such notes as may be helpful to the student in the search of rare 

 species." Those known to have bred in the State, or whose breeding in 

 the State is " almost certain," are marked with an asterisk. "The catalog 

 contains not only species and subspecies fully authenticated, but also a 

 few of such highly probable < ccurrence that it seems only a question of 

 time and opportunity to establish the proof of their occurrence." They 

 are not, however, relegated to a ' hypothetical list, since in this way he 

 believes they might be overlooked and escape the attention they deserve. 

 Extirpated and introduced species are also included in due systematic 



1 A Preliminary Catalog of the Birds of Missouri. By Otto Widmann. Trans.. 

 Acad. Science of St. Louis, Vol. XVII, No. 1, pp. 1-288. "Issued Nov. 16, 1907." 

 Also separate, without statement of place of publication. 



