204 Recently published Ornithological Works. 
mention of these and kindred matters has seemed essential 
to a clearer understanding of the reasons governing the local 
occurrence or distribution of certain of the species, or 
desirable for the purpose of rendering commonplace or 
otherwise tedious details more attractive. What I have 
chiefly had in mind has been to state as definitely as possible 
the times and seasons when each species has been noted, the 
numbers in which it has occurred at long past as well as in 
very recent times, and the precise character, and in some 
instances also the situation, of its favourite local haunts.” 
In carrying out this plan Mr. Brewster has had the 
co-operation of a large number of friends, many of whose 
names are familiar to us, besides the advantage of the 
labours of previous ornithologists (such as Nuttall, Cabot, 
and Bryant) who have studied the Avifauna of this district. 
The first portion of Mr. Brewster’s volume is devoted to 
a general account of the “Cambridge Region” and its 
special localities for birds. Then follows an “ Annotated 
List”? of the species, according to the arrangement and 
nomeuclature of the American ‘ Check-list.2. The number 
of species and subspecies recognised as occurring within 
the Cambridge area is 248. A coloured figure is given of 
Brewster’s Linnet (Acanthis brewstert), founded by Mr. Ridg- 
way on a single specimen shot by Mr. Brewster in 1870 
out of a flock of Redpolls. As no other examples of this 
obscure form have been obtained it is probably a sport or 
“possibly a hybrid between Acanthis linaria and Spinus 
pinus,” as now suggested by Mr. Ridgway. 
7. Chapman on the Birds of New York. 
[The Birds of the Vicinity of New York City. Guide Leaflet No. 22. 
Reprinted from the American Museum Journal. By Frank M. Chapman. 
New York, 1906. 8vo. 96 pp. | 
This guide to the Local Collection of Birds in the Depart- 
ment of Ornithology of the American Museum of Natural 
History must be found extremely useful by visitors to that 
establishment, and is based upon a most admirable plan. 
