Vol. XX-| Recent Literature. ^17 



1903 J "-* ' 



and also other tables and charts relating to bird migration for the same 

 period and locality. The usefulness of this effort to aid beginners in 

 becoming acquainted with wild birds in life seems to be attested by the 

 appearance of the present revised edition. — J. A. A. 



Snow"s Catalogue of Kansas Birds. — Professor Snow has recently 

 issued a fifth edition of his Catalogue of Kansas Birds, 1 which first 

 appeared in April, 1872, and was reissued, with additions, in July, and 

 again in October, of the same year, the latter being commonly known as 

 the ' second edition,' though here counted as the third. In 1875 a 'third ' 

 ("in reality the fourth") edition was issued, dated on the title-page 

 "November, 1S75," and "January, 1S76," on the first page of the text, and 

 now stated to have been "complete to Jan. i, 1876." The history and 

 character of these earlier editions is here given, followed by extended 

 comment on Goss's and Lantz's Catalogues and especially on Prof. D. E. 

 Lantz's ' Review of Kansas Ornithology,' published in 1899 (see Auk, 

 XVI, pp. 364, 365). There is considerable criticism of Lantz's 'Review,' 

 but the general tone seems rather hypercritical. The author treats the 

 historic portion of his subject (pp. i-ii) at length, and in minute detail, 

 even to points of trivial importance. 



Upon this thorough foundation of criticism and research, such as the 

 bird fauna of few States has received. Professor Snow proceeds to give us 

 a ' Catalogue of the Birds of Kansas,' in Avhich all species attributed to 

 Kansas whose occurrence in the State "cannot be verified by actual 

 captures since the opening of the University of Kansas, in September, 

 18S6," are excluded, including 14 species entered in his earlier editions on 

 the manuscript authority of Dr. T. M. Brewer and Prof. Spencer F. Baird. 

 The list, as now revised and annotated, includes 342 species and sub- 

 species, not one of which is apparently open to question. While doubt- 

 less others may be added by future captures within the State, we have 

 here a most thorough and up-to-date exposition of the bird fauna of 

 Kansas. — J. A. A. 



Proceedings of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union.— The Proceedings 

 of the Third Annual Meeting of the Nebraska Ornithologists' Union 

 forms a thick pamphlet of 108 pages, well illustrated with sixteen half- 

 tone plates and about one hundred text cuts. The meeting was held at 

 Lincoln, Nebraska, Feb. i, 1902, with the President, Erwin H. Barbour, 

 in the chair and 19 members present. The officers elected for the ensuing 

 year were: President, J. M. Bates; Vice-President, Mrs. George H. 



1 A Catalogue of the Birds of Kansas (fifth edition) with Notes upon Pre- 

 ceding Catalogues and List.'.. By Francis H. Snow, Ph.D., LL. D., of the 

 University of Kansas. Svo, pp. 23, May, 1903. Reprinted from Vol. XVIII, 

 Trans. Kansas Acad. Sciences. 



