59^ 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST. [Vol. XXXVIII. 



Coues' Key to North American Birds ^ had nominally four edi- 

 tions, but the third and fourth were practically reprints of the second 

 (1884) edition. At his death, Dr. Coues was at work on a new 

 edition, the MS. of which was fortunately completed by him. It 

 has been published as the fifth edition of the Key under the direction 

 of Mr. J. A. Farley, to whose conscientious care the publishers give 

 due praise. 



The present edition appears in two large volumes containing over 

 eleven hundred pages. The Historical Preface of former editions is 

 followed by a short memoir of the author, being the address delivered 

 by D. G. Elliot at the A. O. U. Congress in 1900. Part I, on Field 

 Ornithology is reprinted without change. Part II on the Structure 

 and Classification of Birds has been somewhat revised. That Dr. 

 Coues nailed his colors to the mast is evident from a paragraph on 

 p. 80, where though he avows his allegiance to the A. O. U. code of 

 nomenclature, he expressly excepts the canon which requires him to 

 misspell a name " for no other reason than because it was misspelled 

 in the beginning." 



A less gratifying evidence of his courage in his convictions is given 

 in the discussion of color-change without moult, or Aptosochro- 

 matism (p. 92) as Dr. Coues was proud to have termed it. It seems 

 strange that the pages that follow could have been written after the 

 publication of Mr. J. A. Allen's paper in the Bull. Amer. Nat. Hist. 

 1896. 



The chief additions in this edition are in Part III, Systematic 

 Synopsis of North American Birds. Here have been incorporated 

 the results which the study of systematic ornithology has achieved 

 within the last twenty years. The descriptions of many species, and 

 of their nesting habits have been rewritten, particularly in the case 

 of western birds. Many new species and sub-species have been 

 accorded recognition. Such difficult groups as the Small Flycatchers 

 (Empidonax) and the Horned Larks (Otocorys) now appear as they 

 were left by the more conservative treatment of Brewster and Dwight. 

 Most of the changes in nomenclature made by the A. O. U. commit- 

 tee have been accepted, and in some cases some of those not made 

 at the time of Dr. Coues's death were foreseen and included. The 

 changes made since his death appear in an appendix. There have 

 been added to many of the biographies, especially to those of the 

 less familiar birds, the more important synonyms and bibliographical 



