348 Recent Literature. [jJly 



Chandler, Asa C. A Study of the Structure of Feathers with Refer- 

 ence to their Taxonomic Significance. (Univ. of Cal., Publ. ZooL, XIII, 

 pp. 243-446, 1916.) — This is a bulky thesis describing in great detail the 

 feathers of several types in most of the major groups of birds. The meagre- 

 ness of conclusions seems out of proportion to the mass of description, and 

 most of the suggestions that are made, of changes in the classification of 

 birds on the basis of feather structure, are so obviously at variance with 

 evidence derived from other sources as to be hardly worthy of serious con- 

 sideration. The bibliography does not indicate an exhaustive knowledge 

 of the literature of the subject as we fail to find Wm. Palmer's ' Avi- 

 fauna of the Pribilof Islands' (Fur Seal Report, 1899), nor W. Stone's 

 'Molting of Birds' (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., 1896). 



Ridgway, R. A New Pigeon from Jamaica. (Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., 

 XXVIII, pp. 177-178, Nov. 29, 1915.) — Chlorcenas inornata exigua. 



Ridgway, R. A New Pigeon from Chiriqui, Panama. (Ibid., pp. 139- 

 140, June 29, 1915.) — CEnoenas chiriquensis. 



Miller, L. H. A Review of the Species Pavo californicus. (Univ. Cal. 

 Publ., Bull. Dept. Geol., IX, No. 7, pp. 89-96, 1916.) 



Miller, L. H. Two Vulturid Raptors from the Pleistocene of Rancho 

 La Brea. {Ihid., No. 9, pp. 105-109, 1916.) — Neophrontops americanus 

 (p. 106) and Neogyps errans (p. 108), genera and species new. 



Young, R. T. Some Experiments on Protective Coloration. (Jour. 

 Exper. Zool. XX, pp. 457-504, 1916.)— Practical experiments on captive 

 birds. Dr. Young concludes that (1) protective resemblance is effective 

 in protecting motionless animals from attack by caged birds and (2) that 

 stillness is probably a more important factor than color in protecting ani- 

 mals from foes. 



Mearns, E. A. Description of a New Subspecies of the American Least 

 Tern. (Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., XXIX, pp. 71-72, April 4, 1916.) — Sterna 

 antillarum browni (p. 71), San Diego Co., Cal. 



Hellmayr, C. E. Additions to the Avifauna of Timor. (Nov. Zool. 

 XXIII, pp. 96-111.) [In German.] 



Mottram, J. C. The Distribution of Secondary Sexual Characters 

 amongst Birds with Relation to their Liability to the Attack of Enemies. 

 (Proc. Zool. Soc. London, 1915, pp. 663-678.) — Endeavors to demonstrate 

 a correlation between extra sexual dimorphism and decrease in vulner- 

 ability to enemies. Another paper by the same author, which follows this, 

 deals with pattern blending in animals with reference to obliterative 

 shading and concealment of outline. 



Moulton, J. C. Birds taken on the Batu Lawi Expedition. (Jour. 

 Straits Branch, Royal Asiat. Soc. No. 63, pp. 74-77, 1912).— Thirty species. 



Van Someren, V. G. L. Rearing and Taming Wild Birds. (Jour. East 

 Afr. and Uganda Nat. Hist. Soc. V, pp. 19-23, 1916.) 



Roberts, Austin. A New Siskin from South Africa. (Ann. Transv. 

 Mus. V, No. 3. Suppl. 1 page unnumbered, 1915.) — Spinus sij77ionsi, 

 Sangabetu Valley, Basutoland. 



