"■jgjg J Recent Literature. o40' 



Avicultural Magazine. VII, No. 7. May, 1916. 



The Owl Parrot. By G. Renshaw — History and threatened extinction. 



Observations on the Birds in a Suburban Garden. [In England]. 

 By A. A. Goodall. 



Egg Markings and Sunlight. By A. G. Butler. — Sunlight and heat 

 considered to affect intensity of coloration. 



The Emu. XV, Part 4. April, 1916. 



Avifauna of New South Wales Islands. By A. F. Bassett Hull. 



Some Considerations on Sight in Birds. By Dr. J. C. Lewis. — General 

 account of structure of the bird's eye, with citation of old and rather un- 

 convincing experiments to prove exceptional powers of sight. 



Eggs of Reptiles and Birds Compared, with Some Unusual Examples of 

 the Latter. By R. W. Shufeldt. 



Some Tasmanian Birds' Nests. By H. Stuart Dove. 



Observations on Albatrosses at Sea. By E. W. Ferguson. — Discussion 

 of plumage, etc., of a number of species. A series of excellent photographs 

 of Australian birds is published in this number. 



The South Australian Ornithologist. II, Part 6. April 1, 1916. 



Notes on the Mallee Fowl. Lcipoa oceUata rosince. By T. P. Bell- 

 chambers. — Incubation is given as from 58 to 77 days in captive birds. 



An Ornithological Trip in St. Vincent and Spencer Gulfs. By A. G- 

 Morgan.— Notes on 60 species. 



A Sketch of the Life of Samuel White (continued). By S. A. White. 



The Austral Avian Record. Ill, No. 3. April 7, 1916. 



Some 76 new species and subspecies are here described together with 

 the genera: Rahcinta (p. 58) for Atrichia clamosa; Leachena (p. 60) for 

 Epthianura crocea. The descriptions are so meagi-e as to be almost worth- 

 less and in many cases size is used as a differential character but no meas- 

 urements are given. Worse than all there is no indication of where the 

 type specimen may be found, and no range for the new forms is given. 



While Mr. Mathews has done wonders in seaching the literature to settle 

 the status of various old names which have caused endless trouble, his good 

 work is offset by the carelessness of such descriptions as these. If a thing 

 is worth describing at all it is worth describing well, and nothing will cause 

 the summary rejection of his proposed new subspecies more quickly than 

 this slovenly method of presenting them. ' The Auk ' has taken the same 

 stand impartially in the cases of all who are guilty of similar offences. If 

 systematic ornithology is to be kept from becoming the laughing stock of 

 zoologists, it is high time that such practices should cease. 



Revue Frangaise d'Ornithologie. VIII, No. 83. March 7, 1916. 

 [In French.] 



Biological Observations on the Birds of the Kerguelen Islands. By 

 J. Loranchet (continued in April). 



Contril)ution to the Ornithology of Provence. By J. L'Hermitte (con- 

 tinued in April). 



Revue Frangaise d'Ornithologie. VIII, No. 84. April 7, 1916. 



