Vrf "l9i9 X " VI ] Recmt Literature. 135 



stantly being proposed to meet ignorant or selfish wishes for the destruc- 

 tion of some bird or other, and the constant attention of such a body of 

 trained men as the Audubon Societies provide is necessary to controvert 

 such action. 



We can only speak in this connection of these few activities of the Associ- 

 ation; everyone should get the report and read it for themselves. Besides 

 the reports of the field agents, — always interesting and instructive, — 

 there are reports from seventeen state societies and forty-two bird clubs 

 and other affiliated organizations. In the report of the treasurer we note 

 that the annual membership contributions amount to nearly $27,000; 

 while a single anonymous subscription to the children's educational fund 

 is for $20,000. Truly the pioneers in this work can feel amply repaid for 

 the time they unselfishly devoted to starting the movement for bird 

 protection. — W. S. 



Zimmer on Rare Birds from Luzon and Mindoro. 1 — Mr. Zimmer 

 presents notes on specimens of forty-two species, which on account of 

 rarity, unusual distribution, or peculiar plumage are worthy of record. 

 The specimens are from collections made by himself during the years 

 1913-1916. One new form Hyloterpe crissalis, a Thickhead Shrike, is 

 described as new (p. 230), from Mt. Banahao, Laguna, Luzon. A number 

 of specimens of the hitherto unique Zosterornis affinis McGregor, were 

 also obtained. — W. S. 



Recent Papers by Wetmore.- — Mr. Wetmore has recently made a 

 study of the anatomy of Nyctibius and upon comparing it with Podargus 

 and several of the Caprimulgida? he comes to the conclusion that the 

 differences between the Podargi and the Caprimulgi, recognized as 

 superfamilies of the suborder Nycticoraciae by Ridgway, are not so tren- 

 ant and sharply defined as has been supposed. Nyctibius appears to be 

 about midway between the Caprimulgidse and the Podargidae and of 

 twelve principal structural characters, used in the classification of these 

 birds, it agrees with each group in five particulars. Mr. Wetmore would 

 arrange the Nycticoraciae in two superfamilies, the Steatornithoidse and 

 the Caprimulgoidse, the former containing the single genus Steatornis and 

 the latter the families Podargida;, Nyctibiidse, yEgothelidae and Caprimul- 

 gidse, the last being regarded as the highest. Attention is called to the 

 need of further study of the anatomy of MgoiheUs and Batrachostomus in 

 order to arrive at a clearer conception of their exact relationship. Our 

 Australian coworkers should be able, with Mr. Wetmore's paper as a basis,. 



1 A Few Birds from Luzon and Mindoro. The Philippine Jour, of Science, Vol. XIII, 

 Sect. D. No. 5, September, 1918, pp. 219-232. 



- On the Anatomy of Nyctibius -with Notes on Allied Birds. By Alexander Wetmore. 

 Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. 54, pp. 577-586. 



