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The Birds of North and Middle Amer- 

 ica. A Descriptive Catalogue of the 

 Higher Groups, Genera, Species and 

 Subspecies of Birds Known to Occur in 

 North America, from the Arctic Lands 

 to the Isthmus of Panama, the West 

 Indies and other Islands of the Carrinean 

 Sea, and the Galapagos Archipelago. 

 By Robert Ridgway. Part I. Family 

 Fringillidse — The Finches. Bull. U. S. 

 Nat. Mus., No. 50, Washington: Gov- 

 ernment Printing Office, 1901. 8vo. 

 Pages xxxi + 715; P" s - xx - 



This is the first in a series which, we are 

 told, will, when completed, contain eight 

 volumes, on the preparation of which Mr. 

 Ridgway has been long engaged. The 

 work treats of the classification of birds in 

 general and presents keys to the families, 

 genera, species and subspecies of the birds 

 inhabiting the region covered by the title. 

 The present volume deals with the Finches, 

 of which 227 species and 162 subspecies are 

 included. 



In this, his preliminary volume, Mr. 

 Ridgway dwells at some length on the clas- 

 sification of the higher groups of birds, dis- 

 cusses critically the views of Gadow, Fiir- 

 bringer, Stejneger and other authorities, and 

 gives numerous references to the literature of 

 the subject. The conclusion is reached that 

 the Finches represent the most highly devel- 

 oped birds, and in explanation of his selec- 

 tion of this, rather than the lowest family as 

 subjects for his first volume, it is explained 

 that lack of storage space in the Smithsonian 

 Institution renders the lower forms of birds 

 unavailable for study. 



In his treatment of the Fringillidae Mr. 

 Ridgway has been wholly ungoverned by 

 precedent. He says : " In all cases it has been 

 the author's desire to express exactly the facts 

 as they appear to him in the light of the 

 evidence examined, without any regard what- 

 ever to preconceived ideas, either of his own 

 or of others." His results, therefore, differ 

 widely from those of other students of this 

 family both in regard to grouping and in 

 the inclusion, highly desirable to our mind, 

 of certain genera among the Finches which 



have formerly been placed among the 

 Tanagers. 



In regard to the recognition of species and 

 subspecies, Mr. Ridgway writes: "The only 

 question that can possibly exist in the mind 

 of those who have this matter to deal with is 

 the degree of difference which should be rec- 

 ognized in nomenclature, and in this respect 

 there is more or less excuse for difference of 

 opinion, according to one's ability to discern 

 differences and estimate the degree of their 

 constancy, the extent and character of ma- 

 terial studies, and the amount of time which 

 has been devoted to its investigation." 



Mr. Ridgway, as those who are familiar 

 with his work well know, has the "ability 

 to discern differences" developed in a high 

 degree. Years of training have so sharpened 

 unusually acute perceptive powers that in 

 studying the material on which the volume 

 under consideration is based, doubtless not 

 one race worthy of recognition by name has 

 escaped his attention. Whether they are all 

 worthy of such recognition is, as Mr. Ridg- 

 way says, a matter of opinion, but we should 

 always remember that a name becomes pro- 

 portionately valueless as it becomes un- 

 certain of application. 



On the other hand, in compensation, it 

 may be said with equal truth that few or 

 none of the forms which Mr. Ridgway has 

 rejected are probably deserving of nomen- 

 clatural rank. 



In execution this work bears evidence of 

 skill and thoroughness in preparation which 

 renders it above criticism. Mr. Ridgway 

 possesses a positive genus for analysis and 

 description which, developed by prolonged 

 experience, places him, in oui opinion, first 

 among systematic ornithologists. The syn- 

 onymy is compiled with rare exactness and 

 an unusual discrimination in selection and 

 annotation which make it not merely a mat- 

 ter of names but a guide to the distribution 

 and biography of the species. Measurements 

 are given with satisfactory exactness, the 

 metric system being employed, and the work 

 will be so indispensable to students of the 



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