'^'''"me^"^] Recent Literature. 339 



The supplementary expedition which will shortly be in the field is 

 expected to gather much additional information on the birds of this region 

 for incorporation in the final report of the Roosevelt Expedition. — W. S. 



Todd on New Neotropical Birds. ^ — In two recent papers Mr. W. E. 

 Clyde Todd describes twenty-two new forms of neotropical birds. Eleven 

 of these are from Colombia, seven from Bolivia, two from Argentina and 

 one each from Venezuela and the Isle of Pines. The descriptions are very 

 brief, but where size is used as a differential character measurements of the 

 type specimens are always given. — W. S. 



Forbush on The Domestic Cat.^ — In ' Notes and News ' of ' The 



Auk,' 1914, p. 145, attention was called to the seriousness of the cat problem , 

 and in the two years that have elapsed since then the destruction of wild 

 birds, especially nestlings, by stray cats and uncontrolled pets has brought 

 the question squarely before thousands of bird students, who have so care- 

 fully watched and protected broods of young in the nest, only to see them 

 fall prey to the neighbor's pet cat. Mr. Forbush's timely ' bulletin ' 

 covers all phases of this subject — the history and characteristics of the 

 cat; numbers of cats, food of cats, economic value and means of controlling 

 the cat. 



His evidence seems to show pretty conclusively that traps are a far better 

 check on rats and mice than cats are. This reduces the excuses for keeping 

 cats to the desire for a pet or companion, and for such purposes the public 

 should compel the cat owners to have their pets licensed and kept strictly 

 on their own property. This is insisted on in the case of dogs and the 

 sooner it is done with cats the better. The constantly increasing army of 

 bird lovers who will not tolerate roving cats will find a mine of information 

 in Mr. Forbush's report which can be spread broadcast with profit. — W. S. 



The Official List of Generic Names. ^ — Systematic Zoologists will 

 welcome any action that makes for uniformity and stability in nomen- 

 clature, and consequently will heartily endorse the attempt of the Inter- 

 national Commission to establish an "official" list of genera. The plan 

 is to invite advisory committees in various branches of zoology to submit 

 lists of generic names which they agree are valid under the Code and which 



1 Preliminary Diagnoses of Apparently New South American Birds. By W. E. Clyde 

 Todd. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. XXVIII, pp. 79-82. April 13, 1915. 



Preliminary Diagnoses of Seven Apparently New Neotropical Birds. By W. E. Clyde 

 Todd. Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., Vol. XXVIII, pp. 169-170. November 29, 1915. 



2 The Domestic Cat. Bird Killer, Mouser and Destroyer of Wild Life. Means of 

 Utilizing and Controlling It. By Edward Howe Forbush, State Ornithologist. Economic 

 Biology — Bulletin No. 2. Massachusetts State Board of Agriculture, pp. 1-112. 1916. 



3 Opinions Bendered by the International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature. 

 Opinion 67. One Hundred and Two Birds Names Placed in the Official List of Generic 

 Names. Smithson. Inst. Publ. 2409, pp. 177-182. April, 1916. 



