Vol. XiV 
i867 Reecent Literature. ; 425 
able to gather respecting hybridity among birds in a state of nature. 
These cases number 271, of which, however, some are doubtful. Of these 
189 are crosses between species, and 82 between ‘races’ or ‘ varieties.’ The 
total number of species involved is 166, and of varieties, 49. The evidence 
in each case is fully presented and its merits duly weighed. This work 
has occupied the author for ten years, and the amount of labor involved 
is certainly immense. The list of works and papers cited exceeds 1100, 
and the list of persons with whom the author has corresponded includes 
the names of nearly 500 more or less well-known naturalists, to whom 
reference is made in the course of the work. He further gives a list of 
85 museums and collections with which he has been in communication, 
which contain hybrids or reputed hybrids, with an indication of the 
character of each specimen. These number 236, of which 52 are Passerine, 
1 Ralline, 2 Columbine, 75 Anatine, and 106 Galline. 
The work is divided into five parts, which have appeared at intervals 
from 1890 to the present time. Thus Part I, Gallinacés et Colombs (pp. 
3-107), was issued in 1890; Part II, Palmipédes et Echassiers (pp. 109-177), 
in 1891; Part III, Passereaux (pp. 179-451), in 18921; Part IV, Accipitres 
et Perroquets (pp. 453-472), in 1893; Part V, Additions, Corrections et 
Examens d’aprés nature, pp. 473-873, in 1895. Part VI, Nouvelles Additions 
(pp. 907-990), as well the alphabetic list of authors cited (pp. 875-905), 
with the Introduction (pp. iii-clii) and contents are now added. The 
introduction gives an historical account of the subject, with a summary 
of the views of naturalists, ancient and modern, and discusses at length 
the value of fertility or infertility in hybrids as a test of specific identity. 
As said in our review of Part III, the work has involved a vast amount 
of laborious research, and gives apparently an excellent summary of the 
literature of the subject. It therefore affords a mine of information for 
those who wish to pursue the subject of hybridity among birds. 
The present volume is to be followed by a second on hybridity among 
insects and in fishes. The author also proposes to publish an annual 
supplement to the volume on birds, giving the new facts as they appear, 
and solicits aid in the work from other observers. He also has given 
notice that as soon as he receives enough subscriptions to warrant the 
undertaking he will begin the publication of life-size colored illustrations 
of about 200 of the hybrids he has made the subject of study. —J. A. A. 
Publications Received.— Beal, F. E. L. The Blue Jay and Its Food. 
(Yearbook of the U. S. Department of Agriculture for 1896, pp. 197-206.) 
Bradford, Mary Fluker. Audubon. 16mo, pp. 82. New Orleans, 1897. 
Price, $1.00. 
Chapman, Frank M. Handbook of. Birds of Eastern North America. 
12mo. pp. xiv-+431. New York: D. Appleton & Co. (Price, $3.00.) 
* Reviewed in this journal, IX, 1892, pp. 382, 383. 
