Ri^cent I^iterattire. zj.7 



zwei Stiicken oder Gliedern, iind 3) den kleinen Finger, der stets nur aus 

 einen Stiicke besteht." Since Nitzsch's memoir was written his observa- 

 tions have been extended, and mentioned by many anatomists, as M^ckel, 

 in his Anatomy, by Blainville, by Selenka in Bronn's " Thiereichs," by 

 myself in this Bulletin for 1S81, by Professor Morse in the " Anniversary 

 Memoirs" of the Boston Society of Natural History. Accordingly the claw 

 on the first finger is anything but an unknown object. It is constantlv 

 demonstrating its existence to practical ornithologists by pricking their 

 fingers while measuring bird's wings. That the claw is absent in the Old 

 World Vultures is also an error if we may trust the high authority of 

 Nitzsch, who wrote as follows: " Unter den Raubvogeln einiges Geier, 

 Adler, Falken ; aber nicht die Eulen — Am Vultur percnopierus ist sie 

 ziemlich stark, ungefiihr einen halb Zoll long zugespitzt und braunlich 

 vom Home." In fact, a claw on the first finger is of very common occur- 

 rance, and is found, according to the authorities given above, in the 

 Accipitres, Herodiones, Palatnedeoe, Anseres, GallincB, FtilicaricE, Alec- 

 torides^ LimicolcE, GavicE, Pygopodes., Crypturi, and Struthiones. 



Here it may not be out of place to add that a claw has also been found 

 on the end of the second finger, by myself and Professor Morse, in cer- 

 tain of the Water Birds, and perhaps in some embryo Hawks : and that as 

 a rule the claws are much more conspicuous in young than in adult birds. 

 — J. Amory Jeffries. 



Papers on Minnesota Birds.* — Although the report containing these 

 papers was not generally circulated in 1881, a copy reached us in Decem- 

 ber of that year. Dr. Hatch contributes a list of 281 species briefly anno- 

 tated — usually with only a line or two to each species respecting the man- 

 ner and character of its appearance in the State. In explanation of its 

 cursory style the author states that, as we regret to learn, the original copy 

 was destroyed by fire, " and it has been impossible to give its re-writing 

 the measure of carefulness which the first manuscript received." The 

 most interesting entry is that of ^verquedula cyanoptera, which thus 

 appears far from its recognized range. 



Mr. Roberts' article treats much more fully of 52 species known to occur 

 in the State in winter, divided into the categories of " permanent resi- 

 dents" (23), "winter visitants" (14), "half hardy" species (9), and 'acci- 

 dental" ones (6), the information given conveying a good idea of the 

 bird-fauna at that season of the year. Doubtless owing to circumstances 

 for which neither author is responsible, each paper bristles with typograph- 

 ical errors, few of which are corrected in the accompanying erratum slip. 

 We understand that a full list will accompany the volumes as finally 

 published. — E.G. 



* A List of the Birds of Minnesota. By Dr. P. L. Hatch. Ninth Ann. Rep. Gaol, 

 and Nat. Hist Surv. Minn., for 1880, 1881, pp. 361-372. 



The Water Birds of Minnesota. By Thomas S. Roberts. Op. cit., pp. 373-383. 



