Grant, Mr. J. G. Millais, Dr. Bowdler Sharpe, and 
lion. Walter Rothschild, and other ornithologists, have 
promised to bring specimens to illustrate their opinions 
on the subject.” 
Doubtless the meeting will be a very interesting one, 
and it is only too bad that some of the material that has 
been gathered in this country might not be brought for- 
ward in support of the views of those entertaining 
opinions at variance with believers in a change of plum- 
age in certain birds through a pigment circulation in 
the feathers. 
The molting of birds is, at this time, attracting most 
closely the attention of ornithologists in all quarters,and 
it will be for the highest interests of the science that 
collectors,instead of taking made birds in full breeding 
plumage, devote their attention for a time, to molting 
plumages, of both sexes at all ages and every season 
of the year. The literature of this subject is likely to 
be very materially increased within the next twelve- 
month, 
A correction:—In the Review Department of this 
journal for February (1896) I made the statement that 
the Smithsonian Institution intended publishing the 
biography of Dr. Giglioli of Florence,—this was a slip, 
—-as the biography of Dr. Sclater was intended, and the 
matter has all been set up in type, and will appear in 
due course, and will likewise prove an extremely use- 
ful publication for American ornithologists. 
R. W. S. 
2s 
“Thoughts On The New Check List.” 
To the Editor of the *‘Nidologist:” 
EAR SIR:—In Mr, Palmer’s review of the new 
D Check List under the above title the statement 
is made that ‘‘there are many lapses in the 
habitats as given under the head of geographical distri- 
bution’? mentioning one instance specifically. Having 
seen no criticism of this portion of the List in other 
reviews it may be well to draw attention to it more 
particularly, especially as one of the Committee has 
recently stated (see ‘‘Science,’? May 22, 1896, page 
777) that “its main purpose was the revision of the 
matter relating to the geographical distribution of the 
species and sub-species.’’ 
Premising that I nave no desire to make any captious 
criticism of the work of my friends, and believing that 
such collations of facts can be better and more uni- 
formly prepared by one man, who can be held person- 
ally responsible for the results, rather than by the labor 
—necessarily more or less irresponsible and uneven—of 
any committee, I would first draw attention to what 
Mr. Palmer has alluded to as ‘“‘the impossibility of 
depending on the wording as found under the name of 
each form, even as regards their general distribution.”’ 
For example, the phrase ‘‘Northwest Coast” or 
“Pacific Coast” as applied to some species means west 
of the Coast range or Pacific seacoast; as applied to 
others it means western part of the Great Basin to the 
Pacific. Again, the expression ‘‘To the plains”’ is used 
in the sense of as far as the plains or to their eastern 
edge and also as ineaning across the plains to the east- 
ern base of the Rocky Mountains. It is little help to 
a student if his supposed guide is so ambiguous as to re- 
quire other guidance in his use of it. 
Another class of infelicities of expression, showing 
the need of the one man power Of final editorial revision, 
is seen in such cases as Zonotrichia albicollis which is 
said to breed from ‘Montana, Northern Wyoming and 
northward.”” Now this statement is perfectly correct 
in itself, but if the bird breeds from northern Wyom- 
THE NIDOLOGIST 135 
ing northward it may safely be assumed to breed in 
Montana also if the reader is aware of the relative posi- 
tion of these states. Of errors of omission and commis- 
sion I will limit my remarks to a few cases which, from 
my own experience and from the records, I have reason 
to think require modification to correctly express our 
present knowledge. 
Chen rossii. ‘‘ast to Montana in winter.” I do 
not know the authority for this statement; if it implies 
an habitual winter home, as the expression is elsewhere 
used, it is certainly incorrect, though an occasional 
individual may possibly winter there in permanently 
upon water near falls, as I have known theCanada Goose 
to do. The species is a not uncommon spring and fall 
in the north-western part of the state. 
Chordeiles virginianus. The range as given is 
hardly consistent with recorded statements. 
Molothrus aterisstated to inhabit the ‘‘United States 
from the Atlantic to the Pacific’? but no mention is 
made of the fact, perfectly well-known for many years, 
that it is decidedly rare in or absent from most parts of 
the north-west beyond the Rocky Mountains, To add 
another tothe many records to this effect I may say that 
in eighteen months collecting in Northern Idaho I have 
seen but a single specimen—which was shot for identi- 
fication—and in the many dozens of nests of small birds 
examined during two seasons I have found neither egg 
nor young of the Cow Bird, F 
Ammodramus sandwichensis has been recorded 
from southern Oregon and northern California to which 
its winter range might well have been extended. 
Amphispiza bilineata. ‘From western Texas and 
Oklahoma west” etc., ignores the fact that this sparrow 
breeds commonly along the lower Rio Grande, which 
can by no means be considered as in western Texas. 
Parus rufescens. ‘Coast district of Oregon, Wash- 
ington,’ etc. Twenty-seven years ago Dr, Cooper 
recorded this species in ‘‘the dense forests of the higher 
Coeur d’Alene Mountains.’’ I find it to bea rather 
common resident species about Lakes Coeur d’Alene 
and Pend’d’oreille in the same part of northern 
Idaho. 
Regulus satrapa. ‘North America generally.” I 
do not know of authentic records of the occurrence of 
this form within the regular range of its sub-species 
olivaceus—which, by the way extends considerably 
further east than the List states—other than the early 
ones of satrapa before the recognition of its northwest- 
ern sub-species. 
Hesperocichla naevia. ‘‘Pacific Coast,” etc. The 
same Criticism is applicable to the distribution of the 
Varied Trush as to that of the Chestnut-backed Chic- 
kadee. Dr. Cooper in the same paper states that he 
found it ‘‘common near the summit of the Coeur d’- 
Alene Mountains about September Io, frequenting the 
exceedingly dark and damp spruce forests, which 
seemed to be its favorite summer residence as at the 
mouth of the Columbia River.’? I have found it to be 
a common spring migrant of northern Idaho and have 
no doubt that it breeds there as Dr. Cooper supposes. 
These few species were selected for especial mention 
but the present letter might be extended to include a 
good many others in regard to which statements are 
made that are open to criticism if one were writing a 
formal review of the List. This is not my intention, 
however, but to show that it cannot be accepted as an 
ex-cathedra summary of our present knowledge of the 
geographical distribution of North American birds, 
although as to the official statement of the American 
Ornithologist’s Union it might very naturally be received 
as such, J. C. MERRILL. 
Fort SHERMAN, Idaho. 
