34 THE OSPREY. 



work the following groups, each containing from one to nineteen genera of 

 comparatively close affinity: 



Coccothrausteae. Spizae. Sporophilae. 



Loxiae. Chondesteae. Cyanospizae. 



Pyrrhulae. Ammodrami. Oryzoboreae. 



Fringillae. Zonotrichiae. Guiracae. 



Calcarieae. Geospizae. Cardinaleae. 



Calamospizae. Haplospizae. Pityleae. 



Prefaced by a good dichotomous key to the genera, each genus, species and 

 subspecies is fully described, and in the case of the first including when neces- 

 sary an elaborate key to the species, wherein are found not only adult males 

 but females and young as well. Under each species there is given a full de- 

 scription of male, female and young, together with average measurements of 

 both sexes — these, we are pleased to see, in millimeters. The diagnoses of 

 subspecific forms are confined to salient characters, in order to save space, but 

 full measurements are always added. The geographical distribution is with ex- 

 ceptional care delineated, and, whenever possible, the breeding range is indicated. 

 The sj'nonymy is very complete, though restricted to citations that possess a 

 definite value, and has been compiled with an unusual regard for exactness 

 that is refreshing, including when possible mention of the type locality and 

 the location of the type specimen, besides the locality of all references ex- 

 cept those from works of a general character. 



Although most of the new forms brought to light through the prepara- 

 tion of this volume have been elsewhere published, we note at least three that 

 appear for the first time here: Geospiza harterti; Saltator magnoides median- 

 us; and Carjpodacus mexicanus sonoriensis. 



Mr. Ridgway's investigations have occasioned a great many changes in 

 names of both species and genera, but his well known conversatism is warrant 

 suflScient that these have not hastily or unnecessarily been made. In points of 

 nomenclature he has been a strict adherent of the code of the American Orni- 

 thologists' Union, though of the rulings of its committee, in so far as they 

 afl^ect the status of forms, he has been entirely independent. We are sorry to 

 see, however, in cases of manuscript names that the author of such name rather 

 than the first describer is adopted as authority. 



Upon the twenty plates with which this book is concluded there are illus- 

 trated in outline drawing the details of all the genera of Fringillidae treated 

 in the pages that precede. 



Taken all in all, there has for a great many years appeared no work on 

 systematic ornithology that is deserving of so high praise as the first part of 

 The Birds of North and Middle America, and it can not fail to add luster to a 

 name that is already a household word among American ornithologists. — H. C. O. 



