56 



Recent Literature. I j an 



ancestor of the Union, and its members both individually and 

 collectively gave a most cordial reception to the visiting 

 organization. Each day of the session the Club entertained the 

 Union at luncheon at the rooms of the Colonial Club, and on the 

 evening of the 20th the members of both societies met by 

 invitation at the residence of Mr. C. F. Batchelder and 

 celebrated in an informal and thoroughly enjoyable way the 

 twentieth birthday of the parent society. 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Newton's 'Dictionary of Birds,' Part II. 1 — The general character of 

 Professor Newton's 'Dictionary of Birds' has already heen indicated (Auk, 

 X, PP- 357~36o). Part II (Ga-Moa, pp. 305-576) contains, besides the 

 definitions naturally to be expected, a number of especially noteworthy 

 articles, as Gare-Fowl (pp. 303-30S, concluded from Part I), Geographi- 

 cal Distribution (pp. 311-363), Migration (pp. 547-572), and Mimicry 

 (PP- 572—575), some of which call for somewhat detailed notice. Among 

 the other longer articles, which are noteworthy for their scope and varied 

 information, are Grouse (6 pp.), Guachero (Stcaloruis), Heron (5 pp.), 

 Hoactzifi (0/>istfiocomus), Hornbill (5 pp.), Hummingbird (10 pp.), Kiwi 

 (6 pp.), Lark (6 pp.), Lyre-bird (5 pp.), Megafode (4 pp.), etc. 



In the twenty-five pages devoted to Migration, the general facts of the 

 subject are set forth, and then an attempt is made to "account for the 

 cause or causes of migration." "Want of food" is deemed to be "the most 

 obvious cause," "far more so than variation of the temperature, though in 

 popular belief that probably holds the first place." "As food grows scarce 

 toward the end of summer in the most northern limits of the range of a 

 species, the individuals affected thereby seek it elsewhere; in this way 

 they press upon the haunt of other individuals," and so on. This, says 

 Prof. Newton, "seems satisfactorily to explain the southward movement of 

 many migrating birds in the northern hemisphere; but when we consider 

 the return movement which takes place some six months later, doubt may 

 be entertained whether scarcity of food can be assigned as its sole or suffi- 



1 A Dictionary of Birds. By Alfred Newton. Assisted by Hans Gadow. With 

 Contributions from Richard Lydekker, B. A., F. G. S., Charles S. Roy, M. A., F. R. S., 

 and Robert W. Shufeldt, M. D. (late United States Army). Part II (Ga-Moa). Lon- 

 don : Adam and Charles Black, 1893. — 8vo., pp. 305-576. 



