112 Recent Litcrattire. 



and practicable. Ten species are subtracted, and one hundred and twenty 

 added, while names are changed for various reasons in probably more 

 than a hundred cases. A simple system of reference numbers forms a 

 concordance of the present and original edition, as well as with Baird's 

 list of 1858 and Ridgway's of 1880. The total number of species and 

 varieties enumerated is eight hundred and eighty-eight. 



It should be mentioned that the introductory portion of the work in- 

 cludes an analysis of the present list as compared with that of 1874, and 

 an important chapter entitled " Remarks on the use of names." The 

 latter is devoted to a general consideration of the technique of Greek and 

 Latin scientific names and the principles governing their derivation, spell- 

 ing and pronunciation. 



The book ends with a catalogue complete to date of the author's ornith- 

 ological publications. We understand that the edition will be offered 

 to the public before the close of the present month. May it meet with the 

 cordial reception which it so richly merits. — W. B. 



Nests and Eggs of Ohio Birds. — It is always a pleasure to record 

 the progress of this notably meritorious work — a pleasure which we trust 

 will be ours until the completion of the design which the authors have 

 thus far carried out so successfully. As we have before remarked, there 

 has been nothing since Audubon in the way of pictorial illustration of 

 American Ornithology to compare with the present work — nothing to 

 claim the union of an equal degree of artistic skill and scientific accuracy. 

 We have no knowledge of the financial aspects of the case; but, as such a 

 work is necessanly expensive, we can only trust that it continues to 

 receive the support it so richly deserves. It is, we believe, sold only by 

 subscription. The last number which has reached us is a double one, 

 being parts 10 and 11, dating Oct. 1S81 and Jan. 1S82, containing Plates 

 XXVIII-XXXIII, and pages 107-118. Plate 18 is perhaps the first in 

 which the authors have introduced a bird — being the head of the Purple 

 Martin protruding from the orifice of the C gourds so frequently put up 

 in the South for its accommodation. This figure shows that Mrs. Jones 

 can draw and paint a bird as well as its nest and eggs — and we should 

 not be surprised if other birds appeared with their nests in future numbers. 

 The temiptation thus to enlarge upon the original plan of the work must 

 be at times almost irresistible. Plate 29 is Ensfi'za mnericana, the simple 

 nest of which gives less scope for the artist's skill than the elaborately 

 finished surroundings of the Song Sparrow's nest of Plate 30. The ex- 

 tremes of size and coloring of the eggs of Melospiza are well portrayed, 

 a.s are those of the Thrasher, the rough exterior of whose nest fairly 

 bristles on Plate 31. One of the most artistic pictures of the whole series 

 is the lowly nest of Helmintkop/iaga p/tiiis (Plate 32), with its character- 

 istic surroundings at the foot of a slight bush clump. It is interesting to 

 note in this case the curious " protective mimicry " by which the ne>-t 

 resembles a bunch of dead leaves and dried bark strips blown and caught 

 among the roots of a bramble. One would have sharp eyes who would 



