288 Recent IJtcrature. ^y^ 



either — probably a branch from the early part of the Strigine stem." 

 The weight of authority, he admits, is directly opposed to this view; and 

 he considerately adds, that " if the other characters are all against " his 

 conclusions based on " a comparative study of the ptervlographv of the 

 two groups as represented in North America," they should be set aside. 

 Mr. Clark is doing careful work in a useful field, but he hardly appears 

 to realize that it is rather early to generalize on broad questions when, as 

 in these two groups, and particularly in the Caprimulgi, so small a por- 

 tion of the field has been covered by his investigations. It is well to have 

 a good collection of facts before entering too freely into the field of spec- 

 ulation. — J. x\. A. 



Verrill on Antarctic Birds.' — This valuable paper is based upon the 

 notes and collections of Mr. George Comer who, while on sealing vovages, 

 visited South Georgia from October 9, 1SS5, to Februai-y 11, 18S6; 

 Kerguelen Island from November 24, 1S87, to February 5, 1S8S; and 

 Gough Island from August 22, 188S, to January 23, 1889. This long 

 period gave Mr. Comer unequalled opportunities for observation and his 

 notes on the breeding season are beyond comparison more detailed as to 

 dates than any we have pi'eviously had from this region. Twentv species 

 belonging to the following families are treated : Anatidie, one ; Rallid;e, 

 one; Chionidie, one; Diomedeida-, four ; Procellariid;e, four ; Pelecanoi- 

 didse, one; Stercorariidje, one; Laridit, three; Sphenicida-, four. 

 Almost all of these are represented by skins and eggs. One, Porphvri- 

 ornis comeri, a flightless Gallinule, common on Gough Island, has been 

 made the type of a new genus by Dr. J. A. x\llen^, while TJialass^ogeron 

 eximius, an Albatross allied to T. cJilororhynchus and T. culmiiuitus, is 

 here described as new and figvn-ed. 



Mr. Comer reports two kinds of small sparrow-like birds from Gough 

 Island and a third kind from Kerguelen Island, but unfortunately did 

 not procure specimens of these, doubtless, undescribed species. 



The paper, which concludes with extracts from ]Mr. Comer's journals, 

 is a most important addition to our scanty knowledge of Antarctic birds. 

 — F. M. C. 



Publications Received. — Andersen. Knud. Dioniedea mchnioplirvi, 

 boende paa Fteroerne. (Vidensk. Medd. fra den naturh. Foren. i Kohen- 

 havn, 1894, pp. 241-264, pi. v.) 



Blasius, Rudolf. (i) Christian Ludw. Brehm. Hermann Schlegel. 

 Alfred Brehm. Festrede gehalten von Professor Dr. Rudolf Blasuis zur 



' Notes on Birds and Eggs from the Islands of Gough, Kerguelen, and 

 South Georgia. With two plates. By G. E. VerriU. Trans. Conn. Acad. IX, 

 2, Mch. 1895, PP- 43o-47f>- 



-Bull. Am. Mus. Xat. Hist., IV, 1S92, p. 57. 



