186 Recent Literature. reel 
of the hind toe in the two forms fails to be satisfactorily diagnostic, the 
difference in the amount of black tipping the outer primaries in the two 
forms ts fairly constant and of sufficient importance to warrant their 
recognition as subspecies. 
On the other hand, the extensive material of the Fulmar group leads 
Mr. Chapman to believe that the alleged differences between Fulmarus 
glacialis and F. g. minor are ‘‘ascribable to sexual and individual varia- 
tion.” Inthe case of Somateria mollissima and \S. m. borealis he finds a 
marked difference in the size and form of the bill in the two forms, as 
shown by his measurements and outline figures, enough to warrant their 
recognition as well marked forms. 
In describing the changes of plumage in the King and Greenland 
Eiders, Mr. Chapman distinguishes a post-nuptial plumage in the adult 
males, which begins to replace the nuptial in June, and affects all the 
brighter part of the plumage, and which in turn gives place to the breed- 
ing dress, reacquired during late autumn. 
Mr. Figgins’s field notes add great interest to the paper, and relate to 
the haunts and breeding habits of a large number of the species. — J. A. A. 
* Oberholser on the Flammulated Screech Owls.!— Ina paper of six- 
teen pages, Mr. Oberholser has summarized our present knowledge of 
Megascops fammeolus and its western subspecies MZ. f. zdahoensis. The 
former ranges from Guatemala to California, Arizona, and Colorado, and 
the latter from southern California to Washington and Idaho. Each 
form is described in detail, with full citation of bibliographic references, 
and such information on their habits and distribution as the scanty 
records thus far afford. A new record for fammeolus is Presidio County, 
Texas. while additional records for zdahoensts are San Gorgonio Peak 
and the San Bernardino Mountains, California. In view of the consider- 
able amount of variation shown by specimens from different localities, 
Mr. Oberholser believes that when more material is available the group 
will ‘*‘ be found separable into several more or less segregated geograph- 
ical races.” —J. A. A. 
Oberholser on a Collection of Birds from Liberia. °— This collection 
consists of 57 specimens, representing 39 forms, four of which are here 
described as new, namely: (1) Dexdromus caroli artzelus, (2) Anthreptes 
‘The Flammulated Screech Owls, Alegascops flammeolus (Kaup) and Mega- 
scops flammeolus idahoensis Merriam. Par M. Harry C. Oberholser. Ornis, 
Bull. du Comité Ormithologique International, Vol. X, No. 1, Dec., 1899. 
(Separate, 16 pp., repaged.) 
* A List of the Birds collected by Mr. R. P. Currie in Liberia. By Harry 
C. Oberholser, Assistant Biologist, Department of Agriculture. Proc. U.S. 
Nat. Mus., Vol. XXII, 1899, pp. 25-37. 
