92 Recent Literature. [ja"^ 



Shufeldt's Recent Papers on Avian Osteology and Fossil Birds. ^ — 



Following his paper on the ' Comparative Osteology of the Limpkin ' 

 (Anatomical Record, August, 1915), Dr. Shufeldt presents in the same 

 journal another upon that of the Rails and Cranes. While in the body of 

 this contribution he maintains his view set forth at the end of the former 

 paper that the Limpkin is more closely related to the Rails then to the 

 Cranes, in his conclusions he makes exactly the opposite statement. This^ 

 he explains in a ' Correction,' was due to an accidental substitution of a 

 page from an old manuscript which was before him at the time, and which 

 contained his former views on the matter. In spite of this, however, his 

 conclusions seem to be hopelessly confused, as the scheme of classification 

 set forth is not that of his earlier paper as he himself states in a footnote. 

 Furthermore he distinctly endorses the arrangement of the RallidiE and 

 Grues in the 1910 edition of the A. O. U. Check-List where the Limpkin 

 is included under the Cranes. 



A recent study of the type specimen of the remarkable fossil bird 

 Gallinuloides wyomingensis described by Eastman from Green River 

 shales of Wyoming, confirms the opinion of Lucas that the bird is ' galli- 

 form ' and not ' ralUform ' but Dr. Shufeldt differs from Dr. Lucas in re- 

 ferring it to the true grouse instead of to the neighborhood of Or talis. Dr. 

 Shufeldt proposes for it a new genus PaloEobonasa (p. 633) in case the canons 

 of nomenclature are altered in the future to admit of the substitution of ap- 

 propriate names for misnomers! — W. S. 



Richmond on Necessary Changes in Generic Names. ^ — Dr. C. W. 



Richmond finds the current type designation of Bolborhynchus to be er- 

 roneous and Myiopsitta catharina Bon. is established as type, Grammop- 

 sittaca Ridgway becoming a synonym. For Arara aymara D'Orb. the 

 supposed type of Bolborhynchus, a new name Amoropsittaca is proposed. 

 For Stenopsis Cassin, Thermochalcis (type Caprimulgus cayennensis) is 

 proposed; Oreomyias Berlepsch becomes Oreotriccus (type Pogonotriccus 

 plumheiceps Lawr.); Oreospiza Ridgw. becomes 06cr/ioZsena (type Fringilla 

 chlorura Aud.). Lamprotes Sw. becomes Compsothraupis (type Tanagra 

 loricata Licht.); Odontorhynchus Leach becomes Odontorchilus (type 0. 

 cinereus Pelz.); all these names being found by Dr. Richmond to be 

 preoccupied. — W. S. 



" Comparative Osteology of Certain Rails and Cranes, and the Systematic 

 Positions of the Super-suborders Gruiformes and Ralliformes. By R. W. Shu- 

 feldt. Anatomical Record, Vol. 9, No. 10, October, 1915, pp. 731-750. 



A Critical Study of the Fossil Bird Gallinuloides wyomingensis Eastman. Jour, 

 of Geology, XXIII, No. 7, October-November, 1915, pp. 619-634. 



* Note on the Generic Name Bolborhynchus Bonaparte. Proc. Biol. Soc. 

 Wash., p. 183. November 29, 1915. 



Notes on Several Preoccupied Generic Names (Aves). Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash.^ 

 p. 180. November 29, 1915. 



