^°''l9]'6^"T Recent Literature. 333 



The annotated list follows the classification set forth in Mr. Ridgway's 

 ' Birds of North and Middle America.' Under each species is a full bibliog- 

 raphy for the Isle of Pines, to which, in the reviewer's opinion, might have 

 been added a reference to the original publication of the name employed, 

 which is usually of great assistance to those using the paper. There fol- 

 lows a discussion of the occurrence and habits of each species on the island, 

 and of its systematic status. 



We find described as new Amazona leucocephala 'palmarum (p. 228), Isle 

 of Pines; Vireo gundlachii orientalis (p. 256) Guantanamo, Cuba; a.nd 

 Holoquiscalus caymanensis dispar (p. 276), Isle of Pines, — the last being 

 renamed on an erratum insert Q. c. caribams, dispar proving untenable. 

 The species and subspecies of Holoquiscalus and the races oi Jacana spinosa 

 are considered at length and reasons are set forth for the rejection of Podi- 

 lymhus podiccps antillarum Bangs and Agelaius subniger Bangs, as well as 

 the races of Squatarola squatarola recently proposed by Thayer and Bangs, 

 and the West Indian races of the Green Heron proposed by Oberholser. 

 As Mr. Todd is confessedly not following the A. O. U. Check-List where the 

 " latest and best authorities " differ from it, attention might be called to 

 the fact that by Opinion 62 of the International Commission on Zoological 

 Nomenclature (March, 1914) the genera Herodias and Urubitinga become 

 untenalile, being synonyms respectively of Egretta and Morphnus. 



Mr. Todd's careful study of the material before him brings out many 

 interesting points, among others the fact that Sturnella magna hippocre- 

 pis is nearest to S. m. argutula and not to S. neglecia as stated by Ridgway, 

 while Seiurus noveboracensis notabilis is the form occurring on the Isle 

 of Pines in spite of Prof. Cooke's reference of all West Indian records to 

 typical noveboracensis . 



The bibliography comprises 64 titles of which 42 are of articles by A. C. 

 Read published in newspapers, ' The Oologist,' and ' Bird Lore's ' Christ- 

 mas lists. Much space in Mr. Todd's list is taken up with discrediting or 

 rejecting records of Mr. Read, which seem to be almost entirely based upon 

 sight or upon specimens shot but not preserved. It would seem that this 

 represents a waste of time and energy as the records which are accepted as 

 probable are severely discounted by the obvious inaccuracy of the others. 

 Would it not be best to ignore such publications absolutely as the surest 

 way to discourage them in future? This however detracts in no way from 

 Mr. Todd's admirable paper which will stand as authority on the birds of 

 the Isle of Pines for many years to come. — W. S. 



Wetmore's ' Birds of Porto Rico.'^ — This notable paper is the first 

 comprehensive work on the food habits of neotropical birds, besides being 

 a handy popular list of the birds of Porto Rico. From both aspects it is 

 most welcome, not only to residents of the island but to others as well. 



» Birds of Porto Rico. By Alex Wetmore. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bull. No. 326. pp. 1-140, 

 pU.I-X. March 24, 1916. 



