Recently published Ornithological Works. 337 



In this paper Dr. Shufeldt figures and discusses the imprints 

 of a number of feathers obtained both recently and some time 

 back from these beds. He also reproduces the figure of the 

 earliest Passerine bird known from North America, which 

 was described by Dr. J. A. Allen in tlie ' Bulletin ' of the 

 U.S. Geol. & Geogr. Survey so long ago as 1878 under the 

 name of Palceospiza bella. Unfortunately the original slab 

 containing the fossil has entirely disappeared. 



Other better-preserved remains, now in the Peabody 

 Museum at Yale, from the Green-river beds of Wyoming 

 are here described under the names of Hebe schucherti, gen. 

 et sp. n., and Yalavis tenuipes, gen. et sp. n. The first of 

 these indicates a small Passerine bird which Dr. Shufeldt 

 believes to be referable to the family Pteroptochidee, the 

 members of which are distinguished from all other Pas- 

 serine birds by having the posterior margin of the sternum 

 doubly emarginated as in the Woodpeckers. They are now 

 confined to America south of Costa Rica. 



Of the position or relationship of the second new genus 

 our author gives us no hint beyond that it is a '' highly 

 specialized Passerine.'' 



Swarth on Californian Geese. 



[A Study of a Collection of Geese of tlie Branta canadensis group from 

 the San Joaquin Valley, California, by Harry S. Swarth. Univ. Cal. Publ. 

 Zool. vol. 12, 1913, pp. 1-24, pis. 1-2, 8 text-figs.] 



There is considerable confusion in regard to the various 

 forms of the Canada Goose occurring not only in California 

 but iu other parts of the United States. The breeding- 

 ranges of the various forms are far from accurately known, 

 and variation is very considerable, so that the three sub- 

 species usually occurring in North America are difficult to 

 differentiate. 



Mr. Swarth believes that£. c. occidentalis, generally stated 

 to breed in California, is a resident with little or no 

 migratory movement, and is confined to the humid north- 

 west coast-region northwards to Alaska, and only occurs 



SER. X. VOL. II. z 



