Vol 'S? VI ] Recent Literature. 129 



Mathews' ' The Birds of Australia.' ' — The last part of Mr. 

 Mathews' work that we have received covers the families Caprimulgidse 

 and Micropodidse and begins the Cuculidse. There are nine plates and 

 while most of them are up to the standard of the previous parts that of the 

 Swiftlets appears particularly crude in comparison with the present-day 

 standard of ornithological illustrations. 



In the treatment of the Nightjars we note two new genera, Rassornis 

 (p. 234), type Caprimulgus macrurus Horsf., and Eximiornis (p. 235), 

 type, C. eximius Temm., and three new races: Rassornis macrurus coinci- 

 dens (p. 241), Cairns, Queensland; R. m. rogersi (p. 242), Melville Island; 

 and R. m. aruensis (p. 242), Aru Islands. The views of various recent 

 students of the geographic races of this species as quoted by Mr. Mathews 

 seem so irreconcilable that we question whether when subdivisions are 

 carried to the present limits, where individual opinion is in many cases the 

 most important factor in the discussion, we shall ever have any generally 

 recognized results. 



In connection with his treatment of the Swifts he goes at length into the 

 systematic arrangement of the Choeturinm, concluding that the presence of 

 spines on the tail feathers of two genera is not necessarily evidence of close 

 relationship, but that caudal spines may develop independently in genera 

 not closely connected phylogenetically while a single genus may show them 

 in various stages of development. His scheme, with the new genera which 

 he proposes, is as follows: 



Larger Forms. 

 Hirundapus Hodgs. Pallenia Bon. Streptoprocne Oberh . 



Smaller Forms. 

 American. Chaetura Stephens. 



West African. Telacanthura gen. nov. (p. 264), type Ch&tura ussheri 

 Sharpe. 

 Neafrapus gen. nov. (p. 264), type C. cassini Sclater. 

 Alterapus nov. gen. (p. 264), type C. sabini Gray. 

 Indo-Malayan. Rhaphidura Oates. 



Indicapus nov. gen. (p. 265), type Acanthylis sylvatica 

 Tickell. 

 Madagascar. Zoonavena gen nov. (p. 265), type C. grandidieri. 

 Philippines. Mearnsia Ridgw. 



New Guinea. Papuanapus gen. nov. (p. 266), type C. novw-guineoe D'Alb. 

 and Salvad. 



Cypseloides Streubel. 



Nephcecetes Baird. 



Aerornis Bertoni. 



Chaeturellus gen. nov. (p. 267), type Hirundo rutila Vieill. 



1 The Birds of Australia. By Gregory M. Mathews. Vol. VII, Part III., August 26, 



1918. 



