246 



Recent Literature. I ■, u . 



The annotations are brief but interesting and are supplemented by 

 detailed notes on the colors of the irides, bill, feet, etc., based on compar- 

 ison of the fresh specimen with the plates in Mr. Ridgway's 'Nomencla- 

 ture of Colors.' Though sadly handicapped by failing health Mr. Jouy's 

 love of his favorite pursuit showed no diminution, and the material for 

 this, his last paper, was gathered under conditions to which most nat- 

 uralists would have succumbed. — F. M. C. 



Verrill on the Birds of Dominica. 1 — Mr. A. H. Verrill collected in 

 Dominica during March, April, and May, 1890, and was joined by his 

 brother, the author of this paper, "the latter part of April." As a result 

 of their combined ornithological researches in several parts of this wild 

 and rugged island he presents a well-annotated list containing 54 species, 

 including 5 species not given by previous writers, thus raising the number 

 of Dominican birds to 64. Geotrygon mystacea, of which no specimens 

 were preserved, has since been procured by the writer of this review from 

 a local collector. 



Several other species are included on the descriptions of natives or as 

 observed but not collected, and although it is quite probable these species 

 actually occur, a little more conservatism in this direction would have 

 been advisable. Vireo calidris, given as "very likely" a summer visitor 

 only, was found by the reviewer to be a common bird during the past 

 February. 



Interesting notes on habits and local distribution are presented, but by 

 far the most valuable part of this paper consists in observations, many of 

 them entirely new, on the nesting of twenty species of Dominican birds, 

 among which Falco columbarius is included. Half-tone figures of the 

 nests of seven and eggs of three of these are given. It appears that in 

 Dominica the breeding season is nearly over by the latter part of April, 

 at which time it is approaching its height in Trinidad. The difference 

 in time, however, is apparently not a real one but is due to the limita- 

 tions of the Dominican avifauna. In Trinidad the nearest representa- 

 tives of the twenty species found breeding by the Messrs. Verrill, so far 

 as known, also breed before May 1, but many others have not then begun 

 to nest. 



Mr. Verrill does not seem to be familiar with Colonel Feilden's impor- 

 tant paper on 'The Deserted Domicile of the Diablotin in Dominica.' 2 — 

 F. M. C. 



1 Notes on the Fauna of the Island of Dominica. With lists of the species obtained 

 and observed by A. H. and G. E. Verrill. By G. E. Verrill. Trans. Conn. Acad., 

 VIII, 1892, pp. 315-359, pll. i-iii. List of Birds obtained and observed, with Notes on 

 their Habits, Nests, and Eggs, pp. 319-351. 



-Trans. Norfolk and Norwich Naturalists' Society, V, 1889, pp. 24-39. 



