7 6 Peecent Literature. ae 
“ America from the Arctic regions north of Hudson Bay and westward to 
the Mackenzie River, along the Atlantic watershed, though generally 
coastwise, to Patagonia and the Falkland Islands. Rare on the Pacific 
slope. Breeds about Hudson Bay, northward and eastward.” A. morinella 
(Linn.) is distinguished as smaller than A. zzferfres (Linn.) with chest- 
nut instead of black predominating above, with more clove brown, and 
with orange instead of vermilion feet. Detailed descriptions of the vari- 
ous plumages of each form are given, with a table of comparative meas- 
urements. The name mornella is based on Catesby’s pl. Ixxii, ‘‘ The 
Turnstone or Sea-Dottrel.” 
Another innovation in nomenclature is the use of the name Hiérundo 
erythrogastra unalaschkensis. (Gmelin) tor the Alaskan Barn Swallow 
(p. 422). Although seen on St. George Island, no specimens: appear to 
have taken there. 
Plate xxxviii gives several views on Walrus Island, showing the breed- 
ing places of sea birds; pl. xxxix represents nine eggs of the Pacific 
Murre, selected to show variation in size, shape, and markings; pll. xl 
and xli illustrate the ‘development of feathers.” The paper forms a 
valuable contribution to North American ornithology.—J. A. A. 
Howe and Sturtevant’s ‘ Birds of Rhode Island.’!— This is the first 
attempt at an exhaustive enumeration of the birds of the State of Rhode 
Island, and has been commendably well done. It consists of a ‘Review 
of former publications on Rhode Island Birds, and of State Collections’ 
(pp. 7-9); ‘Migration, with List of Breeding Birds’ (pp. 10-16), and 
an account of ‘Cormorant Rock’ (pp. 17-22), followed by a judiciously 
annotated list of the 291 species known to occur in the State. There isa 
supplemental list of 3 ‘Extirpated Species’ and a ‘ Hypothetical List’ of 
IO species. The House Sparrow is included in the 291 species, and also 
the Painted Bunting, given as ‘‘an accidental visitant, or escaped cage 
bird,” on the basis of a specimen taken in 1882. This latter species 
would have found a more fitting resting place in the Hypothetical List. 
The Blue Grosbeak is recorded under the head of ‘Errata, Additions, 
etc.,’ on p. 102, on the basis of a young bird taken by Mr. F. T. Jencks at 
Drownville, R.I., Oct. 12,1899. It is, however, omitted from the Indexes. 
It is of interest to note that both the Purple and the Bronzed Grackle are 
given, the former as occurring in the southern and the latter in the 
northern portions of the State. Ammodramus caudacutus subvirgatus 
1The | Birds of Rhode Island. | By Reginald Heber Howe, Jr., | Member 
of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, | and | Edward Sturtevant, S. B., | In- 
structor of Natural Science at Saint George’s School, Newport. | Members 
of the American Ornithologists’ Union. | Illustrated. | 1899.—8vo, pp. 1- 
111, frontispiece and 5 halftone plates. 
