Recent Literature. 1 77 



The annotations in this section are often full and always interestino-. 

 The author writes clearly and simply and his style is characterized by a 

 modest frankness that is very attractive. We fear, however, that some 

 of his views respecting the distribution of races are hardly orthodox. 

 Thus he thinks that "two races of Loon spend the summer in New Bruns- 

 wick, and breed here. They have plumage of similar colors and mark- 

 ings, but one is smaller than the other, being some six inches less in length. 

 The larger bird is common on the lakes and rivers in all sections of the 

 Province, seldom seeking the salt water until the rivers freeze over, while 

 the smaller is rarely found away from the seashore"; and again that a 

 light form of the Rufted Grouse "resembling the descriptions given of 

 umbelloides" occurs with typical iimbcllus and that it is " not improbable 

 that both the Brown and Gray varieties are represented here, with 

 numerous hybrids"; a condition of affairs which, if true, is certainlv 

 deplorable. 



"Section B" is almost wholly compiled, the authorities mainly drawn 

 on being Boardman, Herrick, and Dr. A. Leith Adams. Several of the 

 records left by the latter writer are, in the light of our present knowledge, 

 of very doubtful value. 



Mr. Chamberlain's work, so far as it has gone, has evidently been done 

 carefully and well, a fact which makes it the more to be regretted that the 

 publication of his report could not have been longer delayed, for in many 

 respects it lacks the completeness that is desirable in a paper of its kind. 

 Any adequate exploration of a region so extensive as that embraced within 

 the limits of New Brunswick cannot be accomplished in one or two 

 seasons only. It is rather the task of a lifetime. But we must bear in 

 mind that the present "Catalogue" is oftered simply as a "starting point," 

 to be "supplemented by additions and revisions as opportunity for further 

 investigation occurs"; and considered from this standpoint it is in every 

 way a highly creditable production. That its author is qualified to 

 carry out an undertaking which he has so satisfactorily begun can be a 

 matter admitting of no doubt, and we shall look for manv interesting de- 

 velopments in the field which he has chosen. — W. B. 



Krukenberg on the Coloring Matter of Feathers. Second 

 Part.* — Turacoverdin. a green pigment which occurs in the green 

 feathers of the Musophagidce is first considered. This pigment is soluble 

 in alkalies, such as soda and the like, but is insoluble in acids, chloroform, 

 ether and the alcohols. Concentrated sulphuric acid added to the pigment 

 in sohition turns it violet red. Turacoverdin in solution emits a weak 

 red fiuorescent light, and when examined by the spectroscope shows an 

 absorption band near D. It contains a considerable quantity of iron, 

 but little copper or manganese, and probably, like Turacin, lacks sulphur 

 and nitrogen. A point of considerable interest is its identity with a green 



* Dr. C. Fr. Krukenberg. Die Farbstoffe der Federn. 2 Mittheilung, in Dessen 

 Verg.-phys. Stud., 2 R., I. Abth., 1882, SS 151-171. 



