GA. Recent Literature. \^n 



This is an addition of about 50 species to a previous "preliminary list" 1 

 (which we have not seen), published in April, 1903, which makes "a 

 total of 206 species now recorded from the County." The nominal list of 

 additions is followed by several pages of interesting annotations, those on 

 the Juncos (of which six species are listed) and the White-necked Raven 

 being of special interest. — J. A. A. 



Preliminary Review of the Birds of Nebraska. 2 — This 'preliminary 

 review' is under the joint authorship of Messrs. Lawrence Bruner, 

 Robert H. Walcott, and Myron H. Swenk. An introduction of two 

 pages states the origin, purpose, and scope of the work, and the share each 

 author had in its preparation. It also states that, preliminary as it is in 

 the sense of being the forerunner, it is hoped, of a more elaborate work 

 to appear later, " it has been prepared with the greatest care, and is be- 

 lieved to represent exactly the state of our knowledge at the present day." 

 The introduction is followed by an essay by Professor Bruner on ' Birds 

 in their Relation to Agriculture and Horticulture' (pp. 5-1 1), in which it 

 is stated that 400 different kinds of birds have been found within the 

 State of Nebraska, of which 200 are known to nest within the State. The 

 ' Synopses and List,' forming the main text ( pp. 15-116), is preceded by two 

 pages of cuts and explanations illustrating the ' Topography of Bohemian 

 Waxwing for Beginners,' which, with the 'synopses,' is designed to 

 make the work useful to those who are not ornithologists, and so aid in 

 increasing interest in birds " and advancing the cause of bird protection." 

 The ' synopses' are in the nature of 'keys,' to the higher groups as well 

 as to the species and subspecies, and are based (with acknowledgments) 

 on those in Apgar's 'Birds of the Eastern United States.' As the keys 

 are printed in the same style and size of type as the list, the different 

 kinds of matter are not obvious except on actual inspection of the text. 

 The numeration, as well as the nomenclature, is that of the A. O. U. 

 Check-List, but a special or consecutive numeration could have been 

 added (in parenthesis after the A. O. U. No.) with advantage, especially 

 in the absence of any general summary of the list. Species previously 

 attributed to the State on what is now considered unsatisfactory evidence, 

 as well as those of probable occurrence but not yet detected, are included, 

 both in the keys and in the list, but in the list are properly distinguished 

 from the authenticated species, — the first by being placed between 

 brackets, and the latter by the designation ' extra-liinital.' The list is 

 thus apparently all the authors claim for it — a careful exposition of 



1 Ibid., Vol. I, No. 3, April, 1903. 



2 A I Preliminary Review | of the | Birds of Nebraska | with Synopses | — | 

 By I Lawrence Bruner, Robert H. Walcott, Myron H. Swenk — (No date nor 

 publisher's imprint on title page.) Rlopp & Bartlett Co., Omaha, Neb. 8vo. 

 pp. 1 — 1 16, and an unpaged index of 5 leaves. 



