^°^i?iO^"] ^^'^^^t Literature. 227 



to some extent of earlier, ornithological conditions of this limited and 

 somewhat peculiar area. We note a singular slip in the name of the Pied- 

 billed Grebe which is given (in two places) as Tachybaptus podiceps 

 instead of Podilymbus podiceps; also Stryx for Strix (p. 427); articus for 

 ardicus (p. 429); and in respect to diphthongs one is puzzled to know 

 whether it was the intention to separate or combine the vowels ae and oe, 

 since they occur about as often ce and oe as ae and oe, both forms some- 

 times occurring on the same or adjoining pages; and the same irregularity 

 of usage with ae and ae. But these are minor faults in an otherwise 

 very carefully printed paper, and one of permanent value as a contribution 

 to faunal literature. — J. A. A. 



Beebe on the 'Ecology of the Hoatzin.' — In a recent paper of 22 pages, 

 illustrated with several half-tone plates, Mr. C. WilUara Beebe treats of 

 the history and habits of the Hoatzin,^ based on his studies of the bird in its 

 haunts in Venezuela and British Guiana. On neither occasion were young 

 birds to be found, so that the notes on the species refer solely to the adults, 

 which were met with in life on the Guarapiche River in northern Vene- 

 zuela in March, 1908, and on the Abary River in April, 1909. The intro- 

 duction contains observations on the structure of its well-developed crop, 

 and on the relationships of this "extremely ancient and isolated type." 

 Then follow sections devoted to the history of its discovery, its nomencla- 

 ture, geographical distribution, its 'general appearance,' its parasites, 

 habits, food, nest and eggs, the author's field notes at the two localities 

 above mentioned, and an account of his photographic studies, the results 

 of which are reproduced in the accompanying half-tone plates, showing its 

 haunts, attitudes in trees, and its nests. Mr. Beebe found the Hoatzin 

 beginning to nest in British Guiana in April, but the nesting season evi- 

 dently varies, since others have found it nesting here from December to 

 July, and on the Orinoco in September. 



The Hoatzins, says Mr. Beebe, "appear to be extremely sedentary, and 

 day after day we could be sure of finding the birds in the same place. We 

 located nine flocks, ranging from a single pair to forty-two in number, and 

 these seemed never to move from their favorite trees except when driven 

 back a few yards into the jungle by our intruding canoe." One of the 

 photographs here published shows a flock of eleven birds. It is unnecessary 

 to say that Mr. Beebe's paper is an important contribution to the history 

 of an exceedingly interesting and hitherto little known bird. — • J. A. A. 



Beebe on Birds of Northeastern Venezuela. ^ — Mr. Beebe, accompanied 

 by Mrs. Beebe, spent about three weeks, during March and April, 1908, 



1 A Contribution to the Ecology of the Adult Hoatzin. By C. William Beebe, 

 Curator of Birds, New York Zoological Society. Zoologica, Scientific Contributions 

 of the New York Zoological Society, Vol. I, No. 2, pp. 45-66, fig. 1-20. Dec. 28, 

 1909. 



2 An Ornithological Reconnaissance of Northeastern Venezuela. By C. William 

 Beebe. Zoologica, Vol. I, No. 3, pp. 67-114, fag. 21-37. Dec. 28, 1909. 



