442 Messrs. Sclater and Finsch's Index to the 



This important work consists of three parts : — (1) the Intro- 

 duction, containing a popular elementary treatise on the lead- 

 ing principles of ornithology ; (2) the Key, being an artificial 

 analysis of all the genera and subgenera in one continuous 

 table ; (3) the Synopsis, containing a systematic synopsis of 

 all the North- American species. The orders, families, and 

 genera are all characterized, and every species shortly de- 

 scribed. Few references and no synonyms are given. Many 

 woodcuts are introduced. This is, in our opinion, by far the 

 best popular handbook on the birds of any part of the world 

 yet published. 



2. Observatinns on Picicorvus columbianus. Ibis, 1872, 

 pp. 52-59. 



An introductory article upon the life-history of this little- 

 known species. Its synonymy is appended. 



3. Contributions to the History of the Blue Crow of America. 

 Ibis, 1872, pp. 152-158. 



A similar article upon Gymnokitta cyanocephala. 



4. Studies of the TjTdLmA&d&. Parti. Revision of 'the Species 

 o/Myiarchus. Proc. Acad. Phil. 1872, pp. 56-81. 



Dr. Coues acknowledges 9 species of this difficult genus, 

 dividing some of them into varieties, but is of opinion c ' that 

 there are only four forms that do not intergrade." We may 

 remark that Tyrannus irritabilis of Vieillot, was not founded 

 on Azara's Suiriri pardo y roxo, as Dr. Coues will see by 

 turning to the original reference*. Dr. Coues should there- 

 fore alter his Myiarchus crinitus, var. b, irritabilis, I. c. p. 65, 

 to var. erythrocercus. But in our opinion this " variety " is 

 sufficiently distinct for specific rank. 



5. Material for a Monograph of the Spheniscidse. Proc. 

 Acad. Phil. 1872, pp. 170-212, plates iv., v. 



A valuable contribution to our knowledge of the Penguins, 

 but deficient from non-access to specimens from properly de- 

 termined localities. Dr. Coues acknowledges 2 species of 

 Aptenodytes, 3 of Pygoscelis, 5 of Eudyptes, and 2 of Sphe- 

 niscus — one of the last-named being divided into 2 i( varieties.'" 



* Cf. Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S. 1868, p. 631. 



