94 BULLETIN OF THE NUITALL 



menclature of the several classes of animals to which the work is devoted. 

 With respect to the Mammals and Fishes, the author's plan of excluding the 

 marine forms was -doubtless, for various reasons, a wise one, especially in 

 the case of the Cetaceans, concerning which our knowledge is still lament- 

 ably deficient. In respect to Birds, however, the desire for uniformity is 

 the only obvious reason for not including the few strictly marine species, 

 — a reason we deem quite insufficient for marring the otherwise praise- 

 worthy completeness of the portion of the work devoted to this class. 

 We notice, however, the absence of Helminthophaga leucobronchialis, while 

 such species as Eusjnza townsendi and JEqiotlim fiavirostris var. breivsteri, 

 are included. A few species not yet recorded as found east of the Mis- 

 souri are also included, though the western boundary of the district located 

 is assumed to be the Mississippi Eiver. But these are points that in no 

 way seriously detract from the merits of the book. Several of the analyti- 

 cal tables of different groups of birds are based on or taken directly from 

 Coues's key, and the latest and best authorities are followed for the other 

 classes. Cope is closely followed for the Reptiles and Batrachians, while 

 the Fishes show much original work. The Mammals are brought down to 

 the literature of six months since, but several papers now in press or that 

 have recently appeared will necessitate^ few changes in nomenclature in 

 future editions. In all cases the author gives liberal credit to the sources 

 from which he has gathered his materials, as well as for aid more directly 

 furnished. 



On the whole, the author is to be congratulated on the success he has 

 achieved in this difficult undertaking, combining in a work of convenient 

 size and moderate cost a text-book of the Vertebrate Animals of the North- 

 eastern States, reliable in character and sufficiently extended to guide the 

 student with tolerable ease to the name of any species he may chance to 

 have in hand. — J. A. A. 



<&mcv&l footed. 



Capture of the Orange-crowned Warbler in Massachusetts. — 

 The Orange-crowned Warbler (Hehninthophaga celata) must be regarded, 

 so far as our present knowledge warrants, as a rare visitor to New England. 

 Two only have been previously reported in Massachusetts,* and these, with 

 a third shot in New Hampshire,t fill the list of New England quota- 

 tions. 



* One was taken at Springfield, May 15, 1863, by Mr. J. A. Allen (see Proc. 

 Essex Institute, Vol. IV, p. 60), and the other at Lynn, Jan., 1875 (see Brewer, 

 in Proc. Post. Soc. Nat. Hist, Vol. XVII, p. 439). 



t At Hollis, May 16, 1876, by Mr. W. H. Fox (Forest and Stream, Vol. VI, 

 p. 354). 



