Vol. XIII I D . T .. . s 



lSg6 Recent Literature. Og 



When, however, he speaks from a more strictly ornithological point of 

 view, or quotes the observation of others, he shows a lack of familiarity 

 with these more distinctive phases of bird-life. This is particularly true 

 of his remarks on ' Change of Colour without Moulting,' where he 

 accepts as proven the theory that a practically white feather may become 

 black by an influx of " pigment working its way to every part of the 

 feather through channels as yet unknown '" ; for example, in the breast of 

 the Dunlin, or head of the Little Gull or Black-headed Gull. 



The one hundred pages devoted to 'Flight' should be read b\ all 

 students of animal motion, while the philosophic ornithologist will find 

 abundant food for thought in the chapters on color, reason, instinct, etc. 



The chapter on migration will be read with special interest at this 

 time when the publication of an English edition of Herr Giitke's book 

 has awakened a fresh discussion of the many perplexing questions pre- 

 sented by this branch of ornithology. Mr. Headlev here shows the lack 

 of field experience more than in any other part of his generally excellent 

 book. Me thinks it unnecessary to -'call in the assistance of the often- 

 invoked glacial period " to account for the origin of migration and would 

 seek a cause in the failure of the food supply both in the north and south, 

 ignoring the fact that in the American tropics, at least, migrating birds 

 begin their northward journey just as the rainy season sets in and the 

 supply of both vegetable and insect food is greatly increased. 



American students will read with some surprise of the orderly manner 

 in which Old World birds are stated to migrate. In the fall the young 

 birds are of course said to start first, a month or two later they are fol- 

 lowed by the old birds, and after them come irregular flights consisting 

 probably of cripples and young birds hatched late. " In the spring the 

 order is reversed. First come the old cock birds . . . then old hen birds, 

 then old hen birds and young birds mixed; then young birds alone ; and, 

 lastly, cripples in every" stage of dilapidation." 



These, however, are minor defects in a book which should have a 

 marked influence in raising the character of ornithological research from 

 the mere collector's level to the plane of scientific investigation. — F. M. C. 



The A. O. U. Check-List of North American Birds, Second Edition. 1 — 

 The second edition of the American Ornithologists' Union Check-List of 

 North American Birds is uniform in style and typography with the first 

 edition, published in 1SS6, but omits the ' Code of Nomenclature," which 

 was issued separately in iSqj. The present edition is a reprint of the 

 first edition. With such changes in nomenclature as have been found nec- 



1 Check-List | of | North American Birds | prepared by a Committee | of 

 the | American Ornithologists' Union | Second and Revised Edition | — | 

 Zoological Nomenclature is a means, not an end, of Zoological Science | — | 

 New York | American Ornithologists' Union | 1.895. — 8vo, PP- x ' ~"f"" 37 2 - 

 Published Dec. 9, 1895. 



