Vol. XI n r ■ r, 



1893 J Kecent Literature. \ qq 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Keeler on the 'Evolution of the Colors of North American Land 

 Birds." — Mr. Keeler's book is audacious and in some respects unique. 

 At many points the author stalks with a bold tread where more ex- 

 perienced investigators would hardly dare to step. In this work an 

 attempt is made to give a detailed explanation of how and why the land 

 birds of North America have acquired their tints and markings. The 

 subject chosen is thus one that might well be selected for the crowning 

 work of a long life of special research instead of the maiden effort of one 

 who has still his spurs to win in the field of zoological investigation. 

 Mr. Keeler gives evidence of possessing a highly speculative turn of 

 mind and considerable originality of thought. He also shows that he 

 has made himself fairly conversant with the literature relating to the gen- 

 eral subject of evolution, and that this is his chief preparation for the 

 work in hand, it being painfully evident that he is seriously handicapped 

 in his undertaking by lack of experience and familiarity with exotic birds. 

 Before passing to a detailed notice of his work, we will transcribe the 

 opening paragraph of his preface: "The present paper has been written 

 more with the hope of stimulating thought and inciting research in a 

 new and as yet almost untrodden field of ornithological inquiry, than with 

 the expectation of reaching definite results. The subject is as yet too 

 new and difficult to be reduced to even the semblance of an exact science, 

 and accordingly all the views here set forth are more or less provisional 

 and tentative. I have constantly proceeded upon the assumption that a 

 poor theory is better than no theory, provided it be not considered as 

 final, since it affords an opening wedge for the further studv of a subject. 

 Accordingly many of the views here set forth are hardly to be considered 

 as more than guesses, and it is expected that future study will serve to 

 show their fallacy. If they lead to further study, however, and to more 

 exact and comprehensive work by others, I shall be glad to see them 

 overturned and their places filled by more worthy hj'potheses." 



The attitude here assumed is commendably modest, but it is hardly 

 borne out by the general tenor of what follows. We cannot agree with 

 him, however, that "a poor theory is better than no theory," even if it is 

 put forth tentatively; we believe it is much better, and far safer for the 

 best interests of science, to confess ignorance on abstruse points than 

 to set forth views that "are hardly to be considered as more than 

 guesses," — in other words, hap-hazard conjectures, which may or may not 

 have an element of probability, according to the fitness of the guesser to 



1 Evolution of the Colors | of | North American Land Birds. | By | Charles A. 

 Keeler. | San Francisco : | California Academy of Sciences. | January, 1893. 8vo, 

 pp. xii + 361, pll. xix. = Occasional Papers of the California Academy of Sciences, 

 III. 



