24O Recent Literature. \juit 



and wheeling over the waters. They were formerly greatly more abun- 

 dant, but from the wanton destruction both of the birds and eggs, their 

 numbers are much reduced. Now, however, the destruction of both 

 birds and eggs is forbidden by law, and it is to be hoped they will again 

 become numerous. This year the advance guard arrived February 28, — 

 rather earlier than usual. On this date I saw them for the first time at 

 the ' Ferry ' between the islands of Hamilton and St. George ; forty or 

 fifty were circling around and examining the rocky cliffs as though 

 selecting their breeding places. The Tropic Bird is popularly called the 

 'Bo'sin Bird.' 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Stone on the Molting of Birds.' — In this paper the author has given 

 the results of considerable personal work and experience. The paper 

 consists of two parts, the first being "a general account of the methods 

 of plumage change," and the second, "brief accounts of the molts and 

 seasonal plumages of most of the smaller land birds of eastern North 

 America, from the Cuckoos through the Passeres in the order of the 

 American Ornithologists' Union Check List." The trouble attending 

 the bringing together of even an incomplete series, and consequent 

 difficulty in determining the exact changes occurring in many plumages, 

 are duly set forth, and our author is careful to state that " no doubt 

 alterations will have to be made in my accounts of the molt in several 

 species, in the light of future investigations." Under ' Change of Color 

 by Abrasion,' and ' Direct Change of Color in Feathers,' the results of 

 investigations made with the assistance of Dr. A. P. Brown are given, 

 with illustrations. The changes of plumage in the Snow Bunting, 

 Dunlin and Sanderling are pointed out and commented on, this work 

 having been done without knowledge of Mr. Chapman's recent efforts in 

 the same line. The views of Mr. Chapman are fully indorsed and those 

 of Herr Giitke correspondingly disproved. The only instance known 

 to our author " of an actual change of color in the plumage, except by 

 fading, is in the case of certain delicate pink tints on the breasts of 

 gulls." Certain opinions of Drs. Stejneger and Sharpe regarding the 

 changes of color in Motacilla lug-ens and Zanthopygia narcissina and 



1 The Molting of Birds with Special Reference to the Plumages of the 

 Smaller Land Birds of Eastern North America. By Witmer Stone. Proc. 

 Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1S96, pp. 108-167, pll. iv and v. 



