280 Recent Literature. [July 



from 'races,' excepting in the case of Mr. Seebohm's volume. The fact of 

 known or supposed intergradation or its absence, as regards subspecies, 

 is rarely referred to, a subspecies being apparently, and sometimes 

 avowedly relegated to that rank when, in the opinion of the author, it 

 differs too littleifrom another to take the rank of a 'species'; on the 

 other hand, hitherto currently received species are thrown together, 

 although known to present constant, and sometimes well-marked differ- 

 ences, unless the authors have themselves made discoveries which they 

 do not deem it necessary to make known to their readers — and this, too, in 

 cases where their material is but a tithe of what has passed under the 

 eyes of authorities equally entitled to consideration who have published 

 view^s directly the reverse of their own. It further sometimes happens 

 that the off-hand statement is made that several specimens of a wide- 

 ranging species in the series in the British Museum differ in certain ways 

 froiu the rest of the series. It would at least satisfy curiosity in such 

 cases if it were stated whether or not these aberrent specimens come 

 from any particular locality or region, or whether the difference is 

 purely individual. Antithetical comparisons as regards size and color- 

 ation of forms all too summarily disposed of would oftentimes be well 

 worth the slight additional space such statements would require. 



Dr. Gadow's volume opens with the Paridje (including the Regulidse 

 auct.^, of which 10 genera and 82 species are recognized, 48 of the latter 

 being referred to the genus Pants alone. Of Parus thirteen synonj'ms 

 are given, two of which {Mela?ioc7tlora and LoJ)/iopka?ies) , however, 

 are recognized in a subgeneric series. Of a few species local races are 

 recognized, of others, subspecies, and in several both local races and sub- 

 species. Thus Parus ater has an 'English,' a 'Chinese,' and a 'Himalay- 

 an' race, and in addition three 'subspecies,' respectively from the Cauca- 

 sus, Eastern Turkestan, and Southern Persia. To the North American 

 Parus atricaptlhis is referred P. carolifiensis as a subspecies, no other 

 subspecies or races being recognized. 'Subspecies' borealis of Parus 

 palustris is subdivided into 'Western' and 'Eastern' races. Our Psaltri- 

 pari are referred to the Old World genus Acredula; Aurifarus is 

 referred to Cabanis's African genus Anthoscofus, which is here ranked 

 as a subgenus oi y^githalus. Pa?ittrus, although included in the Paridce, 

 is said (p. 3) not to belong to the family, ' 'but perhaps to the Fringillidse." 

 Leptopcecile, treated under RegulinjE, the author says "does certainly 

 not belong to the Paridse, but is most closely allied to Pkylloscofus." 



The Laniidse embrace five subfamilies — Gymnorhininae, Malaconoti- 

 nre, Pachycephalinse, Laniinse, and Vireoninse. The species of the first 

 three are all Old World; those of the last, American. Lanhis (covering 

 the genera Fiscus, Efineoctonus, Phoneus, Otomela, etc., of authors) in- 

 cludes 47 species and 3 subspecies, besides various 'races.' Our '■excubitor- 

 oides' is unreservedly (and judiciously) referred to L. ludovi'cianus^ while 

 the problematical '■robustus' is accorded specific rank. The Vireos are all 

 referred to V/'reo, but Vireosylvia and Lauivireo are recognized in a sub- 

 generic sense. The other genera of the Vireonine group stand as usually 



