Vol. XXXVI 1 



1919 



Recent Literature. 443 



(p. 251), from Kaiholena Valley, Lanai, at 2000 ft. elevation. Only one 

 specimen obtained, though Mr. Monroe, the collector, thought he had 

 seen others on one or two occasions. It is allied to Psittacirostra. 



Lonnberg, Einar. Notes on Some Interesting East African Birds. 

 (Archiv. for Zoologi XI, No. 5, pp. 1-5, 1917.) — A Collection made at 

 Elgon and Loudiani B. E. A., by Dr. Leo Bayer. Astur tachiro tenebrosiis 

 (p. 2) and Zosterops bayeri (p. 3) both from the latter locality are described 

 as new. [In English.] 



Lonnberg, Einar. Birds Collected in Eastern Congo by Captain Elias 

 Arrhenius (Ibid., X, No. 24, pp. 1-32). — A list of 184 species of which 

 Accipiter beniensis (p. 13) and Neocossyphus rufus arrhenii (p. 31), both 

 from Beni, are described as new. 



Oberholser, H. C. Diagnosis of a New Genus of Bucerotidae. (Jour. 

 Wash. Acad. Sci. IX, No. 6, pp. 167-168.) —Platycorax (p. 167), type 

 Buceros semigaleatus Tweeddale. Inasmuch as the number of genera 

 to be recognized is purely a matter of personal opinion and no "proof " is 

 possible we much prefer the expression " appears to be " distinct, rather 

 than " proves to be " which latter Dr. Oberholser and some others employ. 

 Hanna, G. Dallas. Notes on Birds of the Pribilof Islands. (Jour. 

 Wash. Acad. Sciences, IX, No. 6, March 19, 1919.) — A brief mention of 

 seventeen species new to the Pribilofs and four new to North America, i. e., 

 Eunetta falcata, Heteroscelus brevipes, Thalassoaetus pelagicus and Anthus 

 spinoletta japonicus. It is unfortunate that such important matter should 

 be first published in such an obscure manner. 



Oberholser, H. C. Birds of a Washington City Dooryard. (The 

 Amer. Midland Naturalist, VI, pp. 1-3.) — A remarkable list of 100 

 species, occurring at the author's home in Washington; many, however, 

 were heard or seen flying over. The list covers a period of seven years. 

 Both nomenclature and classification differ from the A. O. U. ' Check-List ' 

 but vernacular names are given which are essentially those of the ' Check- 

 List.' Both the Parulaand Northern Parula are listed, based upon sight 

 records of a single individual of each! 



Gladstone, H. S. Birds and the War. (Nature, No. 102, pp. 488-489, 

 1919). — Discusses effects on bird life direct and indirect: The impossi- 

 bility of feeding birds and wartime restrictions against the practice; the 

 uprising of farmers against birds as destroyers of crops and the efforts to 

 overcome the erroneous impression; effect of noises and of aeroplanes in 

 frightening birds, etc. 



Maxwell, Hubert. Note on Supposed Fascination of Birds. (Nature, 

 March 6, 1919.) — Considers that the fantastic actions of the Stoat are not 

 carried on with the intention of killing the bird at all. A similar note (Ibid., 

 February 20, p. 486) describes Australian birds excited by a coiled whip 

 which they took for a snake, though they probably had never seen a snake. 

 The writer argues that the fear of snakes is purely hereditary and cites 

 as a parallel the actions of chickens when a hawk or aeroplane passes over 

 them, although they had never been attacked by a hawk. 



