1/0 Recent Literature. [jan. 



(' Auk,' 1919, p. 114.) that monticola is not available as the name of the 

 Tree Sparrow and accepts Fringilla arborea Wilson as the first name based 

 clearly upon this bird, winch therefore becomes Spizella arborea. 



Oberholser, H. C. The Proper Name for Limicola platyrhyncha (Tem- 

 minck.) (Ibid., p. 140.) — Again concurs in a case explained by Mathews 

 in 1912 and agrees with him that this bird should be called L. falcinella 

 (Pontoppidan.) 



Oberholser, H. C. The Taxonomic Position of the Genus Ramphal- 

 cyon. (Ibid., p. 140.) — W. D. Miller's conclusions as to the relations of 

 this genus are reviewed and endorsed and his suggestion that it may require 

 to be established in a separate subfamily accepted to the extent of naming 

 such a subfamily — Rhamphalcyoninse. 



Oberholser, H. C. The Status of the Genus Centronyx Baird. (Ibid., 

 p. 141.) — This is a concurrence in the opinion of Ridgway that Centronyx 

 should rank as a genus and not as a subgenus, with comment on the con- 

 stancy of some of the characters. 



Oberholser, H. C. The Generic Name of the Rook. (Ibid., p. 141.) — 

 The writer here agrees with Hartert and others as to the generic distinctness 

 of the Rook from the allied species of Corvus with winch it used to be associ- 

 ated and refers to the fact already published by Dr. C. W. Richmond that 

 Frugilegus is the proper generic name for it to bear. We notice however, 

 that Mr. Witherby and his associates, among them Dr. Hartert, still place 

 the Rook in the genus Corvus in the latest technical work on British birds, 

 the ' Practical Handbook,' so that the recognition of this genus appears to 

 be by no means universal. 



Todd, W. E. Clyde. Descriptions of Apparently New Colombian Birds. 

 (Ibid., pp. 113-118.) — Twenty-three forms described all but one of which 

 were collected by M. A. Carriker. 



Oberholser, H. C. The Status of the Subgenus Sieberocitta Coues. 

 (Ibid., pp. 135-138.) — ■ Here Dr. Oberholser agrees with Mr. Swarth's 

 recent action in recognizing this as a subgenus, the matter being discussed 

 at length. 



" Z." Taxonomy and Evolution. A Rejoinder. (The American Nat., 

 LIII, May-June, 1919, pp. 282-288.) —An admirable endorsement of the 

 importance and good character of taxonomic work against an attack by 

 " X " presumably a college " biologist " in the same journal for July, 1914. 



Welsh, F. R. The Passenger Pigeon (Science, April 25, 1919.) — This 

 is a remarkable statement of a " business man " ridiculing the claim that 

 the Passenger Pigeon has been exterminated and mentioning the fact that 

 he saw an individual at his home in Devon, a few miles from Philadelphia 

 in 1902, 1904 and 1905, and upon his return to the same place, 1907-1913, 

 he saw the species four or five times, the last time while travelling along 

 the road in his motor car. And yet members of the Delaware Valley 

 Ornithological Club, trained ornithologists, have scoured this region for 

 thirty years, during which time not a single Wild Pigeon has been seen. 

 Those who are not ornithologists see Wild Pigeons every once in a while 



