j 8 ' J Recent Literature. J >i -? 



Elliot's Monograph of the Pittidae. — Part II of Mr. Elliot's 'Monograph 

 of the Pittidae' (see antea, p. 62, for notice of Part I), dated December, 

 1893, contains illustrations of the following species: Eucichla ellioti, 

 Pitta carulea (two plates, giving adult male and female and young), 

 Anthocinda flhayeri, Pitta rttfiventris, P. corotiata, P. iris, P. uss/tert, 

 P. megarhyncha, and P. curiillata . Very little appears to be known of 

 the life-histories of these beautiful birds. In the few species where the 

 nesting habits are known they appear to construct a domed nest on the 

 ground and lay white eggs, heavily marked and streaked with dark 

 colors. — J. A. A. 



Chapman on the Birds of the Island of Trinidad. 1 — In this article Mr. 

 Chapman has favored us with another of his excellent papers which so 

 attractively combine entertaining popular description with scientific 

 information. The first five pages are devoted to a general description of 

 the Island of Trinidad and the separate localities where collections were 

 made. A dissertation on the fauna! position of Trinidad follows, suc- 

 ceeded by a bibliography of the Trinidad Avifauna. 'Additions to the 

 Trinidad Avifauna' and 'Species described as new and Changes in Nomen- 

 clature' are the subjects immediately following, while 'General Remarks 

 on Trinidad Bird-Life' include most interesting matter under the separate 

 headings of 'Number of Species,' 'Migrations,' 'Call-Notes and Song,' 

 'Nesting,' and 'The Colors of Tropical Birds.' A list of all the species 

 known to the author as having been taken in Trinidad completes the 

 paper. This list, which is freely annotated, mentions 306 species, the last 

 3 of which, given on Ldotaud's authority, Mr. Chapman is unable to 

 identify. The list is rendered more valuable by mention of the local 

 names, both English and French (the latter from Ldotaud), and citation 

 of equivalent names in both Ldotaud's and Taylor's catalogues. 



In the list of species I notice the omission of Formicarius trinitatis and 

 F. albicrissu.s, described by me in the Proceedings of the U. S. National 

 Museum, Vol. XIV, No. 871, p. 481. Whether any others have been over- 

 looked I have not had time to ascertain. — R. R. 



Publications Received. — Andersen, Knud. Ligurinus sinicus i Dan- 

 mark. (Vidensk. Meddel. Foren. Kbhvn. 1S93.) 



Buttikofer, J. (1) Description of a New Genus of Crakes. (Notes 

 from the Leyden Mus. XV, pp. 274, 275.) (2) Ornithologisches Samm- 

 lungen aus Celebes, Saleyer und Flores. (Zoologische Ergebnisse einer 

 Reise in Niedeliindisch Ost-Indian, III, pp. 269-306, pll. xvii, xviii.) 



Chapman, Frank M. On the Birds of the Island of Trinidad. (Bull. 

 Am. Mus. Nat. Hist. VI, pp. 1-86, Feb., 1894.) 



Cherrie, Geo. K. Exploraciones Zoologicas effectuadas en la parte meri- 

 dional de Costa Rica, por los annos de 1891-92. I. Aves. 121110. pp. 59. 



l On the Birds of the Island of Trinidad. By Frank M. Chapman. Bull. Am. Mus. 

 Nat. Hist., Vol. VI, Art. I, pp. 1-86. (February 16, 1894.) 



