54 



THE CONDOR 



Voi<. X 



lished by the Carnegie Institution of Washing- 

 ton I June, 1907. 



This paper presents rather an imposing ap- 

 pearance to have been based on such meager 

 data. Lists of Amphibians, (2), Reptiles (5), 

 Birds (130) and Mammals (5), are given, and 

 yet only 75 specimens of all the vertebrates 

 together are stated to have been obtained; and 

 the author was evidently quite unfamiliar with 

 the biota of the region. It is no wonder that 

 nearly half the species are more or less in 

 doubt. Dr. C. W. Richmond deserves the 

 credit for naming the bird-skins, which were 

 submitted to him for determination. One bird, 

 Olbiorchiliis funiigatiis idius is described by 

 him as new. The six colored plates are by J. 

 D. Ridgway. — J. G. 



Birds of Labrador, by Chari^es W. 

 TowNSEND, M. D., and GlovER M. Ai,i,en 

 [ = Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. Vol. 33, No. 7, 

 pp. 277-428, pi. 29; July, 1907J. 



This is a review of our knowledge of the 

 ornis of Labrador, based upon all previously 

 published accounts together with some new 

 matter resulting from a visit by the authors in 

 1906, Au extensively annoted list shows that 

 259 species have been accredited to Labrador. 

 Of these, 213 are authenticated species, 2 are 

 extinct, and 44 doubtful or erroneous. The his- 

 torical phase of the subject is accorded detailed 

 attention, and we are given most interesting 

 quotations from the records of the early ex- 

 plorers. The authors also discuss the "Faunal 

 Areas" of the region. The Arctic, Hudsonian 

 and Canadian life zones are found to be repre- 

 sented. The entire paper shows the results of 

 skilled and conscientious investigation and 

 raises the standard which faunal papers of the 

 future will be expected to reach. — J. G. 



Eighteen New Species and one New 

 Genus of Birds from Eastern Asia and 

 THE Ai^EUTiAN Islands, by Austin H. 

 C1.ARK [=Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. Vol. XXXII, 

 pp. 467-475; June 15, 1907]. 



This paper includes the description of a new 

 Rock Ptarmigan, from Adak Island, one of the 

 central links in the Aleutian Chain. The bird 

 is called Lagopus rupesh-is chamberlaini, and 

 is characterized [in nuptial plumage of male?] 

 as being the grayest and one of the lightest of 

 the Aleutian insular forms of the Rock Ptar- 

 migan. — J. G. 



The Birds of Iowa, by Rudoi^ph M. An- 

 derson [=Proceedings of the Davenport 

 Academy of Sciences Vol. XI, pages 125-417, 

 I map; March, 1907]. 



Anderson's "The Birds of Iowa" is an admir- 

 able paper thruout, the best gotten up state 

 list that has come to our notice. It has the 

 stamp of scholarly workmanship. There is 



evidence of long-continued research into the 

 literature of the State, and careful attention to 

 detail. The typography is excellent. Iowa 

 ornithologists are to be congratulated upon so 

 satisfactory an exposition of their avifauna. — 

 J. G. 



A Preliminary Catalog | of The | Birds 

 of Missouri | by | Otto Widmann | St. 

 Louis, Mo. | 1907 [our copv received Dec. 7, 

 1907]. Pp. 1-288. 



While the word "preliminary" occurs in the 

 title, this book is really an exhaustive treatise 

 on the subject of the distribution and migra- 

 tion of Missouri birds. It seems to be an im- 

 plied intention on the part of the author to 

 publish later a report covering the life histories 

 of the birds of the region, and if this is carried 

 out with the same fidelity as the present "pre- 

 liminary' ' report, we will have access to an 

 ideal compendium of Missouri ornithology. 



The present Catalog contains 383 species, of 

 which 162 are breeders. Of the 3S3, 30 have 

 not been actually taken within the State, thus 

 leaving 353 fully authenticated species. Each 

 species is annotated with localities and dates 

 of occurrence, and with the rarer species the 

 notes are given in detail. 



Preceding the Catalog proper is an Introduc- 

 tion followed by a Bibliography, Explanations 

 (of terms employed and method of treatment), 

 and discussions of Faunal Areas, The Climate, 

 Topography, Decrease of Birds and Bird Pro- 

 tection. Each of these topics is handled in a 

 clear, concise manner, giving one the impres- 

 sion that the writer has thoroly studied his 

 subject before attempting to publish upon it. 

 The latter, it may be remarked, is not an overly 

 common thing in American ornithology in the 

 present age. Mr. Widmann is only now be- 

 ginning to give us the general results of his 

 twenty years of study upon Missouri birds, and 

 we therefore look up to him as being in a posi- 

 tion to handle his subject authoritatively. 

 -J. G. 



Volume III of The Warbler, published by 

 Mr. John Lewis Childs, came to hand in 

 November. It consists of 56 pages, besides a 

 colored frontispiece. There are six half-tones 

 of nests and eggs. Two of these show eggs of 

 the Harlan Hawk taken in Iowa. The excel- 

 lent colored plate and brief accompanying note 

 pertain to the eggs of the Santa Catalina Part- 

 ridge {Lophorlyx catalinensis). P. B. Peabody 

 follows with two illustrated articles on "The 

 Breeding of the Arctic Towhee" and "Rock 

 Wren the Cliff Dweller." J. W. Clayton fur- 

 nishes "Field Notes from the Upper Penobscot, 

 Maine." Two essays by John Bachman, writ- 

 ten fully 65 years ago, one of which is printed 

 here for the first time, show some decidedly 

 good field observations on the habits of Vul- 



