5-] Recent Literature. 



115 



Vol. V, pp. 173, 174), of which it maj be regarded as in part a summary, 

 as also a most valuable resume of the general subject of North American 

 birds occurring in Europe. The species are divided into the three cate- 

 gories of "Land Birds," "Wading Birds," and "Swimming Birds," which 

 are each separately tabulated to show the number of occurrences, of each 

 species in Europe, the countries where they were observed, and the month 

 in which they were taken. The number of species is 69; the total number 

 of occurrences, 494. The most decided result obtained by this analysis is 

 the remarkable preponderance in the number of birds which visit Europe 

 from North America during the autumnal migration as compared with the 

 vernal migration, the ratio being apparently as 168 to 61. This leads the 

 author very naturally to the belief that North American birds, in reaching 

 Europe, are borne irresistably eastward by the strong westerly winds which 

 prevail at the periods of migration, and that of the large number blown 

 out of their course and unable to return but a lew only survive to reach 

 the European shores. The preponderance of such arrivals in autumn is 

 attributed to the large proportion of young birds then migrating, which 

 are less able to resist adverse currents than are the older and stronger. — 

 J. A. A. 



Freke on European Birds observed in North America.* — The 

 total number of species included in the list is 56, of which 9 are regarded 

 as artificially introduced, leaving 47 as wanderers from the Old World. Of 

 these latter 13 are Land Birds. 17 a;-e Waders, and an equal number are 

 Swimmers. Of the whole number (47) only 12 have been recorded from 

 the Eastern United States, 20 have been found only in Greenland, while 9 

 others have occurred only on the Pacific Coast (chiefly in Alaska). Saxt- 

 cola oenanthe, Motacilla flava, and five other species of Old World birds 

 found more or less frequently in Greenland are excluded from the list as 

 being on this account properly North American. On the other hand, 

 Tringa subarquata and Puffinus anglorutn are included among the strag- 

 glers from Europe. The list seems to have been most carefully worked 

 out and may deservedly stand as a companion piece to Mr. J. J. Dalgleish's 

 "List of Occurrences of North American Birds in Europe," published in 

 volume V of this Bulletin. The number of American visitors to Europe ' 

 recorded by Mr. Dalgleish, it may be remembered, is 67, or 20 more than 

 appear to have visited us from the Old World. — J. A. A. 



Canadian Birds — Errata. — [In the January number of the Bulletin 

 (Vol. VIII, p. 57) is a review of a paper on birds observed near Ottawa, 

 Canada, by Geo. R. White and W. L. Scott, in which reference is made to 

 several astonishing announcements of species taken. In justice to the 

 authors of the paper it is but fair to say that a list of "errata" were re- 

 ceived by the editors of the Bulletin from Mr. Scott several days before 



* On European Birds observed in North America. By Percy E. Freke. Zoologist, 

 Sept., 1881. Also separate, pp. 1-14. 



