616 Recent Literature. , [ October, 
ber than has been recorded from any other locality of equal extent in 
the United States. While this large number shows the thoroughness 
with which Mr. Nelson has performed his work, this alone but imper- 
fectly indicates the value of his paper, which embraces not only the 
usual notes respecting the times of migration, nesting, and relative abun- 
dance of each species, but here and there important additions to the 
biographies of hitherto little-known species, including accounts of the 
songs of several species not before described, and the nests and eggs of 
others, and their breeding habits. Particularly noteworthy is the dis- 
covery of the nest and eggs, in Illinois, of several species previously sup- 
posed to nest only in much higher latitudes, one of these being the 
greater yellow-legs (Zotanus melanoleucus). Among the curious things 
recorded is the nesting of the qua-bird or night heron on the ground in 
the Calumet Marshes, the nests being placed in dense clumps of wild 
rice. The paper is written clearly and concisely, and nowhere contains 
redundant matter. 
Since the publication of Mr. Nelson’s above-noticed paper on the Birds 
of Northeastern Illinois, he has given us further information respecting 
the birds of Southern Illinois. This paper contains notes on one hun- 
dred and thirty-three species, based on observations made at several 
different localities, embracing the vicinity of Mount Carmel, Fox Prairie 
in Richland County, Anna in Union County, and the vicinity of Cairo. 
It contains much information relating to the distribution of the summer ' 
birds of the region treated, and here and there interesting biographical 
notes concerning imperfectly known species. ; 
Respecting a more southern locality we have an important paper by 
Lieut. C. A. H. McCauley ? on the ornithology of that portion of Texas 
near the source of the Red River. This paper, containing notices of 
about one hundred species, is particularly welcome as throwing much 
light upon a region hitherto ornithologically little known. Although 
based on the observations of a few months in summer, it comprises much 
valuable matter, relating especially to the distribution and habits of the 
species met with. Here, as generally on the treeless plains of "n g 
rior, few species of birds are found except in the vicinity of the timber- 
skirted streams, where bird-life is generally abundant. The region T 
ported upon embraces a portion of the so-called Staked Plain or Llano 
Estacado. » : 3 
We have received also a Catalogue of the Birds of the Vicinity of Cin- 
1 Notes upon Binds observed in Southern Illinois between July 17 and September 4, 
1875. By E. W. Netson. Bulletin of the Essex Institute, vol. ix., PP- 32-65, June, 
1877. 
2 Notes on the Ornithology of the Region about the Source of the Red River <<? rise 
From Observations made during the Exploration conducted by Lieut. E. H. g ped 
Corps of Engineers, U. S. A. By C. A. H. McCautery, Lieut. Third U. geolog 
Annotated by Dr. Exxiorr Coves, U. S. A. Bulletin of the United States 
ical and Geographical Survey, vol. iii., pp. 655-695, May 15, 1877. 
