3o6 



Recent Literature. T April 



This is the third extended memoir on Galapagos Islands birds pub- 

 lished within the last seven years, each based on extensive material, and 

 each marking an important advance in our knowledge of this peculiarly 

 interesting ornis. In the memoir now under review there is no reference 

 to previous work in the same field, beyond the bibliographical citations 

 under the species and in the general text. Some reference to the general 

 history of the subject, and some statement of their opportunities and 

 resources, and of the results leached, would have been a good addition to 

 this important contribution to the literature of Galapagan ornithology. — 

 J. A. A. 



Shufeldt on the Osteology of the Halcyones and Limicolae. — In the 

 ' American Naturalist ' for October, 1903, Dr. Shufeldt devotes con- 

 siderable space to a consideration of the Kingfishers,' with reference to 

 their osteology and systematic position. It is in the main an amplifica- 

 tion of his paper on the ' Osteology of Ceryle alcyon,' published in 18S4 

 (Journ. Anat. and Phys., XVIII, 1884, pp. 279-294, pi. xiv), with the 

 same illustrations, here reproduced in half-tone. The structure of this 

 species is compared with allied forms, but not much new light is thrown 

 upon the relationships of the group, nor is any very jrositive opinion 

 advanced as to its nearest affinities, though believed by the author to be 

 most nearly related to the Galbulidse, an opinion shared by previous writ- 

 ers on the subject. 



Respecting his paper on the osteology of the Limicohe,^ his own 

 opinion is to the effect that "it is probably the most extensive contribu- 

 tion to the osteology and taxonomy of the Limicolre that has appeared 

 from the pen of any writer on the subject up to the present time." The 

 ' skeletology ' of each of the principal types is described in considerable 

 detail, the paper closing with a synopsis of their leading osteological 

 characters, and a review of their affinities. The Limicolae are regarded 

 as a suborder of the Charadriiformes, and are divided into eight families, 

 which correspond to those adopted in the A. O. U. Check-List, except 

 that the subfamily Arenariinje of the Check-List is given the rank of a 

 family. — J. A. A. 



Evans's ' Turner on Birds.' •' — This is a republication, with translation 



' On the Osteology and Systematic Position of the Kingfishers. (Halcyones.) 

 By R. W. Shufeldt. Amer. Nat., Vol. XXXVII, Oct. 1903, pp. 697-725, 

 figs. 1-3. 



^ 0.steology of the LimicoLx, By Dr. R. W. Shufeldt. Ann. Carnegie 

 Mus., Vol. II, 1903, pp. 15-70, pi. i, and 27 text figures. 



^Turner on Birds: | a short and succinct history | of the | principal birds 

 noticed by Pliny and Aristotle, | first published by | Doctor William Turner, 

 1544. I Edited, with Introduction, Translation, Notes, and Appendix, | by | 

 A. H. Evans, M. A. | Clare College, Cambridge. | Cambridge: | At the 

 University Press | 1903 — 8vo, pp. i-xviii, i 1. (transcript of original title page) 

 + PP- 1-223. 



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