266 Recent Lileratwe. LApril 



Mr. Swarth's paper is well worthy of detailed study and is a noteworthy 

 contribution to west coast ornithology. — W. S. 



Mathews' The Austral Avian Record. ' — This journal is issued at 

 irregular intervals in connection with the Austral Avian Museum, Watford, 

 Herts, England, by Mr. Gregory M. Mathews. It is intended to comprise 

 such notes as require immediate attention in connection with the author's 

 ' Birds of Australia ' now in course of publication. Descriptions of new 

 forms, notes on nomenclature and an}' other interesting matter relating to 

 the AustraUan avifauna will be included. The present number comprises 

 notes on Australian Cuckoos in which the nomenclature of all the forms 

 is discussed, Owenavis and Neochalcites appear as new genera and ten new 

 species and subspecies are proposed. A second note is a useful table 

 of the dates of issue of the parts of Lear's ' Psittacidae ' and Miiller's ' Ver- 

 handelingen over de Naturlijke Geshiedenes. Land-en Volkenkunde.' 

 We do not think that Mr. Mathews' proposal to ignore Lesson's group or 

 " race " names which have always been given recognition as genera will 

 meet with the approval of ornithologists, nor do we consider that the 

 authors of the International Code ever intended that article 2 should be 

 interpreted as rejecting group names not explicitly designated by their 

 proposers as genera or subgenera. — W. S. 



Parkins' Record of Sales of the Great Auk and its Eggs.- — This 

 is an interesting pamphlet containing a record of sales of specimens of the 

 Great Auk or its eggs at public auction in Great Britain from 1806 to 1910. 

 The early history of the specimens is included so far as it is known, and the 

 character of this information will be seen by consulting Col. Thayer's 

 article on p. 208 of this number of ' The Auk.' There are several interest- 

 ing illustrations. — W. S. 



Jacobs' The American Bird House Journal for 1912.^ — Under this 

 title Mr. J. Warren Jacobs proposes to issue an annual publication in 

 continuation of his well known series of papers dealing with the history of 



• The Austral Avian Record. A Scientific Journal devoted primarily to the 

 Study of the Australian Avifauna. Vol. I, No. 1. Issued in connection with 

 the Austral Avian Museum, Watford, Herts, England. Editor, Gregory M. 

 Mathews, Price 1/6 Net. Witherby & Co., 326 High Holborn, London, 

 W. C. .January 2nd, 1912. 



2 The Great Auk. A Record of Sales of Birds and Eggs by Public Auction 

 in Great Britain, 1806-1910. With Historical and Descriptive Notes and five 

 Plates. (Extra Paper to Part 6, of Vol. I., Hastings and East Sussex NaturaUst.) 

 By Thomas Parkin, M. A., F. L. S., F. Z. S., (Member of the British Ornitholo- 

 gists' Union). Hastings, Burfleld & Pennells Ltd. MCMXI. (Price two 

 shillings.) 



3 The American Bird House Journal for 1912, published by the Jacobs Bird 

 House Co. Waynesburg Pa., pp. 9.5-141. Price, 2-5 cents. 



