114 Recent Literature. 



v'icinitv of Brandon. The author sa3's : "A few more species doubtless 

 occur, especially among the Waders and Swimmers, but as thej have 

 never been actually noted, they have been rigidly excluded." An examin- 

 ation of the List shows that, with perhaps one or two exceptions, he has 

 succeeded in adhering to this principle, the result being a very reliable 

 list as far as it goes. The further application of this rule doubtless 

 accounts for the fact that many of the species are not stated to breed that 

 yet no doubt do so. 



The chief interest of the List lies in its bearing upon the extent of the 

 AUeghanian fauna in the Champlain valley. The breeding of such species as 

 DeiidrcEca striata and Zo?iotrictiia Ictico^ttrvs. the occurrence of Pertsoretis 

 catiadensis and Picoides arcficiis, and the absence of Ortyx virginiana 

 and one or two other species, are almost the only exceptions to an other- 

 wise strictly AUeghanian fauna. 



A number of species, especially among the migrants, would seem, from 

 what the writer says, to be by no means numerous at this locality, and no 

 doubt his statements are strictly in accordance with his experience. We 

 have reason to believe, however, that a more thorough search might reveal 

 greater numbers of some of these species. 



It is to be regretted that Mr. Knowlton's List could not have appeared 

 elsewhere than in the columns of a newspaper, both for the sake of 

 giving it a more permanent form, and of avoiding the typographical 

 errors inevitable under such circumstances. It niay be worth while here 

 to mention that by a slip of the pen Mr. Knowlton has recorded Wilson's 

 Plover {Oc/itfiodromus xuilsonius) instead of Wilson's Snipe. — C. F. B. 



Krukenberg ox the Coloring Matter of Feathers.* — This paper, 

 the first of a series, seems to be the product of more careful work than 

 previous publications on the subject. The author first states positively 

 that the color may change after growth, the feather becoming lighter or 

 darker as the case may be, but postpones deciding whether the change is 

 the result of external or internal causes. Judging from the effects of 

 stimulants upon Canaries -with fully grown feathers, I have no doubt that 

 internal changes play an important part. At least, almost white Canaries 

 will become very yellow, gray sometimes appearing, if properly fed. 



Turacin, a red or purple-violet pigment, found in the feathers of the 

 Musoptiagida; is first considered. Attention was first called to this pig- 

 ment by Verreaux, who found that the purple-violet in the wing feathers 

 of Coryttiaix albicristatns was destroyed by wetting, but returned on 

 drying. Later it was observed that the water in which these birds bathed 

 became colored dark red. Facts worthy of consideration by all sys- 

 tematic ornithologists. Turacin is soluble in weak alkalies, insoluble in 

 acids, and slightly soluble in water, especially if warm. It may be precip- 

 itated as an amorphous red powder by the action of acids. In solution the 



* Dr. C. Fr. W. Krukenberg. Die Farbstoffe der Federn, in Dessen Vergleichend- 

 physiologische Studien. I Reihe, V Abth., 1881, s. 72-92. Plate III. 



