48 BULLETIN OF THE NUTTALL 



his fellow-workers, who have done so much to make known the avian 

 fauna of Kansas. — J. A. A. 



Ornithology of Kerguelen Island. — In addition to the very in- 

 teresting and valuable report on the birds of Kerguelen Island * published 

 some months since, Dr. Kidder has recently, in conjunction with Dr. 

 Coues, given an account of the Oology of the island,t including detailed 

 descriptions and measurements of the eggs, together with an account of the 

 breeding habits of all the species found breeding there. These are about 

 twenty in number, and all but one are acpuatic. They include the hereto- 

 fore little-known Chionis mi?ior, the recently described Querquedula eatoni, 

 Graculus carunculatus, J three species of the Gull family (Laridce), eleven 

 species of the Petrel family (Procellariidce), and four species of Penguins 

 (Spheniscidre), the eggs of a considerable proportion of which had not 

 been before described. 



With this paper is published, by the same authors, "A Study of CJiio- 

 nis minor with reference to its • Structure and Systematic Position." § 

 This essay opens with a resume of the literature of the species, beginning 

 with the founding of the genus Chionis by Forster in 1788. Then fol- 

 lows a description of its anatomy, including an account of its myology, of 

 the viscera and the skeleton ; of its habits, general appearance in life, and 

 external characters. In some features Chionis is found to have a considera- 

 ble superficial, as well as osteological resemblance to the Gulls, and also to 

 the Grctllce, with which latter group it has heretofore been usually asso- 

 ciated ; but other features point to its association with either of these 

 groups as unnatural. In summing its external characters, say these 

 authors, "we see how exactly Chionis stands between grallatorial and 

 natatorial birds, retaining slight but perfectly distinct traces of several 

 other types of structure." Its digestive system is regarded as " decidedly 

 rasorial in character," while its cranial and sternal characters show its 

 strong alliance to the Gulls, with a less close relationship to the Plovers. 

 On the whole, Chionis seems to be made up of distinctive characteristics 

 amounting almost to anomalies, and in view of its remoteness from any 

 other group, it is regarded by our authors as entitled to distinct super- 

 family rank, standing between the Gulls and Plovers, but rather nearer to 



* Contributions to the Natural History of Kerguelen Island. By J. H. Kidder, 

 M. D., Passed Assisant Surgeon U. S. Navy. I. Ornithology. Edited by Dr. 

 Elliott Coues, U. S. A. Bulletin of the United States National Museum, No. 2. 

 Washington: Government Printing-Office, 1875. 8vo. pp. 51. 



+ Contributions to the Natural History of Kerguelen Island. By J. H. Kid- 

 der. II, pp. 6-20. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 3. Washington [etc.], 1876. 



+ [Graculus verrucosus = Haliceus {Hypolucus) verrucosus, n. sp. Cab., Journ. 

 f. Orn., Jahrg. XXIII, Oct. 1875, p. 450. —Elliott Coues.] 



§ Contributions to the Natural History of Kerguelen Island. By J. H. Kid- 

 der. II, pp. 85-116. Bull. U. S. Nat. Mus. No. 3. Washington [etc.], 1876. 



