A Consideration of Some Ornithological Literature, 

 with Extracts from Current Criticism. 



I. 1876 TO 1883. 

 II- 1884 TO 1883. 



By L. S. Foster. 



1876 to 1883. 



Under the heading, " Recent Literature," in the volumes 

 of the Bulletin of the Nuttall Ornithological Club, published 

 from 1876 to 1883, are reviews of numerous publications 

 which, I hold, pretty fairly represent the ornithological 

 literature of this important, period, particularly so far as 

 North America is concerned. 



A hasty survey of this literature might, perchance, con- 

 vey the idea of individual effort rather than combined ex- 

 ertion, but, summarized, it shows an advanced movement 

 along a series of lines which, at the close of the period, 

 interlaced and formed the firm foundation upon which has 

 been erected the solid superstructure of The American 

 Ornithologists' Union. 



The more prominent features of the time and those 

 which will permanently characterize it, seem to be as 

 follows : 



The appearance of the first volume of the Catalogue of 

 the Birds in the British Museum ; 



The revisionary work of Mr. Ridgway and Dr. Stej- 

 neger on certain orders and genera ; 



The organization of The Linnaean Society of New York, 

 together with the publication of the first volume of its 

 Transactions ; 



