°jgn ' I Recent Literature. 42^ 



able to gather respecting hybriditj among birds in a state of nature. 

 These cases number 271, of which, however, some are doubtful. Of these 

 1 89 are crosses between species, and 82 between ' races ' or ' varieties.' The 

 total number of species involved is 166, and of varieties, 49. The evidence 

 in each case is fully pi-esented and its merits duly weighed. This work 

 has occupied the author for ten years, and the amount of labor involved 

 is certainly immense. The list of works and papers cited exceeds iioo, 

 and the list of persons with whom the author has corresponded includes 

 the names of nearly 500 more or less well-known naturalists, to whom 

 reference is made in the course of the work. He further gives a list of 

 85 museums and collections with which he has been in communication, 

 which contain hybrids or reputed hybrids, with an indication of the 

 character of each specimen. These number 236, of which 52 are Passerine, 

 I Ralline, 2 Columbine, 75 Anatine, and 106 GalUne. 



The work is divided into five pai-ts, which have appeared at intervals 

 from 1890 to the present time. Thus Part I, Gallinaces et Colombs (pp. 

 3-107), was issued in 1890; Part II, Palmipedes et Echassiers (pp. 109-177), 

 in 1891 ; Part III, Passereaux (pp. 179-451), in 1892 ' ; Part IV, Accipitres 

 et Perroquets (pp. 453-472), in 1893; Part V, Additions, Corrections et 

 Examens d'apres nature, pp. 473-S73, in 1895. Part VI, Nouvelles Additions 

 (pp. 907-990), as well the alphabetic list of authors cited (pp. 875-905), 

 with the Introduction (pp. iii-clii) and contents are now added. The 

 introduction gives an historical account of the subject, with a summary 

 of the views of naturalists, ancient and modern, and discusses at length 

 the value of fertility or infertility in hybrids as a test of specific identity. 



As said in our review of Part III, the work has involved a vast amount 

 of laborious research, and gives apparently an excellent summary of the 

 literature of the subject. It therefore affords a mine of information for 

 those who wish to pursue the subject of hybridity among birds. 



The present volume is to be followed by a second on hybridity among 

 insects and in fishes. The author also proposes to publish an annual 

 supplement to the volume on birds, giving the new facts as they appear, 

 and solicits aid in the work from other observers. He also has given 

 notice that as soon as he receives enough subscriptions to warrant the 

 undertaking he will begin the publication of life-size colored illustrations 

 of about 200 of the hybrids he has made the subject of study. —J. A. A. 



Publications Received. — Beal, F. E. L. The Blue Jay and Its Food. 

 (Yearbook of the U. S. Department of Agriculture for 1896, pp. 197-206.) 



Bradford, Mary Fluker. Audubon. i6mo, pp. 82. New Orleans, 1S97. 

 Price, $1.00. 



Chapman, Frank M. Handbook of Birds of Eastern North America. 

 i2mo. pp. xiv + 431. New York: D. Appleton & Co. (Price, $3.00.) 



' Reviewed in this journal, IX, 1S92, pp. 382, 383. 



