86 Allen on the Ornithological Fauna of North America. 



(including 19 extra-limital ones) and 2 varieties, with those of 

 Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway's " History of North American Birds," 

 published in 1874, it appears that of these 480 names 16 were 

 treated as synonyms, 28 as extra-limital, and 71 were reduced to 

 the rank of subspecies or races, leaving as North American 365 

 species and 71 varieties, — a reduction of 44 from the number given 

 by Baird and Cassin. 



A comparison of the Water Birds given by Baird, Cassin, and 

 Lawrence with those in Dr. Coues's " Check List of North Ameri- 

 can Birds," published in 1874 (based on the same author's " Key," 

 — the only general work on our Water Birds since 1858, — of two 

 years' earlier date, but containing some additions), shows a some- 

 what smaller ratio of change in respect to these species. In Baird's 

 "Report" of 1858 were recognized 260 species and 1 variety, 3 of 

 the species being given as extra-limital, while Coues admitted 247 

 species and 15 additional varieties, or 262 in all, — one more than 

 the number given by Baird, Cassin, and Lawrence. Despite this 

 seeming agreement, 19 of the species admitted by Baird, Cassin, and 

 Lawrence are treated by Coues as synonyms, 6 are regarded as 

 extra-limital, and 13 are reduced to varieties, the reduction in the 

 number of recognized forms being made up by the addition of about 

 40 species and varieties not given by the former authors. Taking 

 into accoiuit both the Land Birds and the Water Birds of the two 

 works in question, and making due allowance for extra-limital spe- 

 cies and synonyms, there is found to be an actual increase of 67 

 recognized forms. It should be added, however, that 8 species are 

 given by Dr. Coues as doubtfully entitled to that rank, and 16 

 varieties as questionably worthy of recognition. 



Passing to a comparison of the two latest general works on North 

 American Birds — the "History of North American Birds" by Baird, 

 Brewer, and Ridgway, and Coues's " Check List," both published in 

 1874, — it may be of interest to notice the treatment respectively 

 adopted so far as the two works cover common ground, namely, the 

 Land Birds. A pretty careful collation gives the following results ; 



B., B., and R., Land Birds, species, 408 ; varieties, 124 ; total, 532. 

 Coues, Land Birds, species, 399 ; varieties, 110 ; total, 509. 



In respect to the difference here apparent, it may be noted that 

 16 species appear in Baird, Brewer, and Ridgway's work, which are 

 omitted in Coues's " Check List " ; several of them were treated by 

 the latter in his " Key " as either nominal, mythical, or too little 



