596 Recent Literature. [o" t k 



are included the Gulls, Terns, Skimmers, Skuas, and Auks. The method 

 of treatment follows closely that of the previous volumes and the high 

 standard there set is well maintained. As the birds here considered break 

 up less easily into geographical races, there are fewer new forms proposed 

 than in the preceding volumes, but numerous changes in nomenclature are 

 adopted and a number of new genera are accepted. The numerous new 

 genera and subspecies proposed by Mr. Gregory M. Mathews in his ' Birds 

 of Australia ' are considered, but only a few are accepted, which is gratify- 

 ing to those who, like the reviewer, have felt that Mr. Mathews had gone 

 entirely too far. Mr. Ridgway is not influenced by prejudice in such 

 questions, but gives to each case a fair and unbiased consideration. 



The only new forms proposed in the present volume are Pagolla wilsonia 

 beldingi (p. 112), Lower California; P. w. cinnamomina (p. 113), Sabanilla, 

 Colombia; and Sterna ancetheta nelsoni (p. 514), Guerrero, Mexico; while one 

 new genus, Neoglottis (p. 329), is proposed for the Yellow-legs. Other 

 forms admitted which are additional to those in the A. O. U. ' Check-List ' 

 are: Numenius americanus occidentalis (Woodhouse), Sternula antillarum 

 browni Mearns, Larus thayeri Brooks, and Uria ringvia Briinn. Owing 

 to the subdivision of the species into several races, Jacana spinosa of the 

 ' Check-List ' becomes J. s. gymnostoma (Wagl.), while Sterna anwtheta 

 becomes S. a. recognita Mathews, Pisobia aurita becomes P. acuminata, 

 following Mathews' explanation of the error in identification of the plate 

 upon which the name was based, and Calidris leucophcea becomes C. alba 

 (cf. Auk, 1912 p. 205), while Pisobia damacensis becomes P. subminuta 

 (Middend.), and Hcematopus fraseri is regarded as a subspecies of H. 

 palliatus. 



Following the fixation of Linnsean types by the International Commission, 

 Charadrius is shifted from the Golden Plovers to the " Ring-necks," the 

 former becoming Pluvialis, while Tringa is now the generic name of the 

 Solitary Sandpiper, the Knot being known as Canutus. On account of 

 preoccupation, Ochthodromus becomes Pagolla, Macrorhamphus becomes 

 Limnodromus. Plautus is found to date from Gunnerus, 1761, by whom it 

 was used for the Little Auk, so that it replaces Alle, while the Great Auk 

 becomes Pinguinus, showing that even extinct birds are not safe from the 

 operations of the laws of nomenclature. 



The following subgenera of the ' Check-List ' are elevated to generic rank : 

 Endomychura, Ciceronia, Alcella, Hydroprogne, Thalasseus, and Sternula, 

 while Lams is broken up into Larus, Chroicocephalus, Hydrocola>us, and 

 Blasipus; and Numenius, into Numenius, Phaopus, and Mesoscolopax, 

 while Vetola is used for the Godwits other than L. limosa, and Coprotheres 

 for the Pomarine Jaeger. 



According to the main text of the work, Heteroscelus is regarded as not 

 invalidated by the earlier Heteroscelis and takes the place of Heteractitis, 

 but on another page Chlidonia is allowed to invalidate Chlidonias Rafi- 

 nesque, which hardly seems to be a consistent application of the rules. 

 It is but fair to mention, however, that Mr. Ridgway states in the addenda 



