246 Recent Literature. LApril 



reads it, that when this terrible war is over and Dr. Chapman resumes his 

 ornithological work, he may be able to prepare other similar contributions 

 for which much material is already available at the American Museum. 

 Surely no one today is better equipped for the task. — W. S. 



Gee and Moffett's ' Birds of the Lower Yangtse Valley.' — This 

 little volume, 1 apparently reprinted from the columns of a newspaper, is 

 a well prepared account of the more common birds of the region of which 

 it treats, intended to meet the needs of those who wish to become familiar 

 with the wild bird life of China. There is a good description of each 

 species with an outline of its general distribution, an account of its nest and 

 eggs and some general notes on its habits and history. The material is 

 compiled from various reliable sources and includes as well the observa- 

 tions of the authors and those of the late Dr. Paul D. Bergen. 



" The greatest lack in ornithological literature of China," say the authors, 

 " is not the scientific descriptions of species — perhaps few remain yet to 

 be described — but the sort of careful popular study that has taught us 

 so much of the intimate ways of the birds of America and England." As 

 an attempt to fill this want the present work is a very praiseworthy effort, 

 and will be welcomed alike by those who are able to study Chinese birds 

 on the spot and those in far away lands, who wish to know something of 

 the everyday familiar birds of this interesting country. — W. S. 



Mathews' ' Birds of Australia.' — Part six 2 of volume six of this not- 

 able work is now before us, completing the treatment of the Parrots. 

 Eight species of the genera Neonannodes, Neophema, Lathamus, Melopsitta- 

 cus, Pezoporus and Geopsittacus are figured and described. There is also 

 an appendix giving the description of Platycercus elegans fleuriensis Ashby, 

 already published in ' The Emu,' and some supplementary notes by the 

 describer. Also a correction in which the generic name Suavipsitta (p. xix) 

 is proposed for Nannopsittacus Matthews, preoccupied by Nannopsittaca 

 Ridgway. 



In the main text of this part we find the following new name proposed: 

 Neonannodes chrysostomus cyanopterus (p. 446), Victoria. — W. S. 



Kalmbach on the Crow and its Relation to Man. — The continued 

 demand for information regarding the economic value of the Crow and the 

 exhaustion of the supply of previous bulletins on the subject, have resulted 



1 A Key to the Birds of the Lower Yangtse Valley with Popular Descriptions of the 

 Species Commonly Seen. By N. Gist Gee, Soochow University and Lacy I. Moffett, 

 Kiangyin. Shanghai: Shanghai Mercury Limited, Print. 1917. pp. 1-221, with index 

 (i-xix) and errata (iii-iv). 



2 The Birds of Australia. By Gregory M. Mathews. Vol. VI, Part VI. December 11, 

 1917. 



