154 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



which some recent workers have split the old genus Parus (11 

 in all) are used only as subgenera, and that the " subspecies," 

 though carefully enumerated, are not given quite the same 

 rank as the species. Thus 12 subspecies of Parus palustris 

 are recognised, 11 of Parus ater, and 7 of Parus ccerulcus. 

 Altogether 66 species of Parus are allowed, besides the sub- 

 species, and 114 species are placed in the subfamily Parinae. 

 The Reguliine number 11, the Polioptilinae 13, and the Para- 

 doxornithinae 24, so that the total number of the family Paridae 

 would be about 162. Whether Chanuea can be correctly 

 placed among the true Parinae is, we think, a little doubtful, 

 but we believe that its affinities are Parine. The generic name 

 Psittiparus is proposed for Paradoxornis flavirostris Gould 

 and some allied species. In .the Sittidae Herr Hellmayr 

 includes besides Sitta (with 23 species), Neositta with 9 

 species, and Daphamositta and Hypositta with 1 species each 

 — making altogether 34 species of the family. " Neositta " 

 is a new name proposed by Herr Hellmayr (J. f. 0. 1901, 

 p. 187) in place of Sitte/la, because Rafinesque is supposed 

 to have suggested Sittella as an equivalent for Sitta in 1815. 

 But this seems to be a very unnecessary change, Rafmesque's 

 silly names being unknown and hardly adopted by anyone. 

 Sitta eurojxea is subdivided by Herr Hellmayr into 12 

 subspecies. Of the third family here treated, the Cer- 

 thiidae, the author recognises 4 genera, Certhia, Salpornis, 

 Tichodroma, and Climacteris, with 27 species altogether. But 

 Cert hiu familiaris is subdivided into 12 subspecies, amongst 

 which is Certhia familiaris brittanica (sic !) of Ridgway. 

 To Certhia brachydactyla of Brehm full rank as a species 

 is given. Now we will ask, how many Members of the 

 B. O. U. could distinguish C. brachydactyla from C. familiaris 

 or C. britannica (we will omit the second /) from either of 

 them ? 



But such criticisms are mere details, and those of our 

 readers who consult Herr Hellmayr's contribution to the 

 ' Tierreich ' will rind it a very careful and accurate piece of 

 work, and will agree with us that it does the author great 

 credit. 



