250 Recent Literature. [.April 



and the next area, producing a pied or a reticulated pattern. Such patterns, 

 due to areal reduction, have, in wild species, often become fixed and a perma- 

 nent part of the normal pattern. The development of such patterns has 

 probably been very gradual, and it may be seen in process of development 

 today in certain species in which the extent of white areas is quite variable — 

 as the white neck patches of the Cackling Goose. 



Dr. Allen also finds that the converse of this centripetal style of pigmenta- 

 tion is present in many species resulting in black pigmentation at the 

 extremities — tip of nose, ears, tail or toes — or along primary breaks 

 between pigmented areas. Furthermore the patches are physiologically 

 independent of one another and may be differently colored in different 

 individuals. 



A careful study of Dr. Allen's paper will give us an intelligent idea of the 

 apparently anomalous coloration of many domestic animals and when 

 we become familiar with the locations of the various pigment centers, we 

 see at once an explanation of many of the distributions of color in wild 

 species, and why we find a constant duplication of general pattern or of 

 prominent color patches in widely separated species. — W. S. 



Shufeldt on the Skeleton of the Ocellated Turkey. 1 — Dr. Shufeldt 

 here presents a detailed study of the skeleton of this interesting bird and 

 compares it bone for bone with that of the more familiar turkey, Meleagris 

 gallopavo. While he considers that the differences in the external characters 

 of the two birds are sufficient to establish them in separate genera, he fails 

 to find any notable difference in the skeletons, nothing indeed which would 

 indicate more than specific differentiation.— W. S. 



Smith's Handbook of the Rocky Mountain Park Museum'. 2 — 



This neatly printed little book is a guide to the Museum at Banff, Alberta. 

 The ornithological portion contains the names of all species found within 

 the limits of the park, with data for the specimens exhibited and special 

 mention of those species which may be seen alive in the immediate vicinity 

 of the museum. There is a full description of one species in each family, 

 but it would seem that a general account of each family group would have 

 been better in such a work. The species, so described, are elevated to 

 undue importance in the popular mind over equally important species 

 which are granted only nominal mention. We understand, however, that 

 this is only a forerunner of a fuller edition and that these descriptions 

 are devised for labels quite as much as for the users of the handbook. 

 The framing of such a book so that descriptive labels may be printed off 

 from the same type is an excellent idea. — W. S. 



1 On the Skeleton of the Ocellated Turkey (Agriocharis ocellata) with notes on 

 the osteology of other Meleagridse. By R. W. Shufeldt. Aquila, Vol. XXI, 

 1914, pp. 1-52, pll. I-XIV, (Nov. 15, 1914). (In Hungarian and English.) 



2 Handbook of the Rocky Mountains Park Museum. By Harlan I. Smith. 

 8vo, pp. 1-126. Ottawa, 1914. 



