^^^914^^] Recent Literature. 409 



The authors say " We think no one can read the notes without marveUng, 

 as we have done, at one thing — how birds can withstand such a winter 

 climate, where 85 degrees below zero Fahr. is not unusual. And yet there 

 is at the Kolyma a quite varied winter bird fauna." The list contains 109 

 species or subspecies of which the following are described as new : Lagopus 

 lagopus koreni (p. 4) KoljTna; Squatarola squatarola cynosuroB (p. 23), 

 Baillie Island, Arctic America, proposed for the American Black-bellied 

 Plover as distinct from that of Europe; Circus cyaneus cernuus, (p. 32), 

 Kolyma; Budytes flavus plexus (p. 41), Kolyma; Otocoris alpestris euroa 

 (p. 43), Kolyma. 



The authors protest against being compelled by " existing Laws " of 

 nomenclature to adopt Xenus as distinct from Xeiios. The A. O. U. Code 

 expUcitly rules that such words are identical and the statement to the con- 

 trary in the International Code is merely a suggestion and not a part of 

 the Code, so that they would seem to be perfectly free to follow their 

 preference in this matter and still have the ' Laws ' on their side. 



Students of North American birds will be interested to learn from this 

 paper that the Gray-cheeked Thrush is not a mere straggler in Siberia 

 but breeds regularly as far west at least as the Kolyma River. 



Altogether Messrs. Thayer and Bangs have presented an exceedingly 

 interesting paper as well as a valuable contribution to the ornithology of 

 a little known region. — W. S. 



Stresemann on the Birds of Ceram.' — This paper consists of a list 

 of 153 species with full synonymy and extended annotations, covering not 

 only the results of the author's explorations but those of all other ornitholo- 

 gists who had previously visited the island and whose expeditions are 

 treated historically in the preface. The work is characterized by the same 

 careful preparation and accuracy of detail that mark Mr. Stresemann's 

 other pubhcations and forms a valuable monograph of the avifauna of this 

 interesting island. We note the following new forms: Megapodius duper- 

 reyii buriiensis (p. 41), Buru; Sterna bergii thalassina (p. 57), Rodriguez; 

 S. sumatrana mathewsi (p. 60), Aldabra; Hemiprocnemystacea confirmata (p. 

 110), Ceram; Dendrobiastes hyperythra negroides (p. 125), Central Ceram; 

 Myiagra galeala seranensis, (p. 127), Central Ceram; Pachycephala pectoralis 

 alfurorum (p. 132), Ceram; Androphilus disturbans musculiis (p. 136), 

 Central Ceram; Zosterops obstinatus seranensis (p. 139), Central Ceram; 

 Z. o. ternatanus (p. 139), Ternate; Erythrura trichroa pinaice (p. 147), 

 Central Ceram; Dicnirus hottenlottus manumeten (p. 148), Ceram. The 

 plates represent scenery, bills of the Hornbill, Rhyticeros plicatus, and 

 colored figures of Oreosterops pinaice, Stigmatops monticola and the new 

 Androphilus. — W. S. 



1 Die Vogel von Seran (Ceram) (Aus den zoologischen Ergebnissen der II. 

 Freiburger Molukken-Expedition) Von Erwin Stresemann. Novit. Zool. Vol. 

 XXI, pp. 25-153. tafeln III-V. February, 1914. 



