672 



THE AMERICAN NATURALIST 



[Vol. XLI 



or Fruit Bats, with 4 subfamilies and 30 genera; the latter containing 

 all the others, which are here distributed among 16 families and 13 

 subfamilies. 



This important monograph is based on the material contained in 

 the U. S. National Museum and other American museums, supple- 

 mented by the examination of that contained in the principal museums 

 of Europe, with the result that all but three of the 173 genera here 

 recognized have passed through the hands of the author. The number 

 of "forms" of Chiroptera at present recognized is stated to be about 

 900; "a number probably representing considerably less than half 

 of what will eventually be known," The designation "forms" 

 probably includes subspecies as well as species. 



The systematic part (pp. 43-261) gives the characters of all the 

 higher groups, from order to genus, with the geographic distribution 

 and probable number of forms of each, and diagnostic keys for the 

 suborders, families, subfamilies and genera. The divisions adopted, 

 from families down to genera, are greatly in excess of those recog- 

 nized by any previous author, but they appear to be all natural groups, 

 subject of course to a different valuation by different authors, according 

 to their points of view. No subgenera are recognized; of the 173 

 genera characterized, 19 have been proposed by Mr. Miller, only two 

 of which, however, are here first published. For each of the genera 

 a type species is designated, the probable number of species is stated, 

 and those examined by the author are enumerated. The full synonymy 

 is given, not only of the genera but of all the higher groups — a feature 

 of much importance. 



In this monograph, the outcome of years of careful investigation, 

 Mr. Miller's usual thoroughness and critical attention to minute details 

 of structure are conspicuously apparent, with the result that naturalists 

 are now provided with an excellent guide through the labyrinths of 

 this large and difficult order of mammals. The text cuts and the first 

 ten plates furnish excellent illustrations, all original, of the dentition 

 and cranial characters of about one third of the genera, thus supple- 

 menting in a most important way those contained in previous works, 

 to which, however, direct references are unfortunately wanting. The 

 last four plates illustrate the principal parts of the skeleton in four 

 diverse types — Rhinopoma microphyUum, Diclidurus virgo, Noctilio 

 leporinus, Molossus pretiosiis. 



J. A. A. 



Birds of North and Middle America.— Mr. Robert Kidgway's 

 "Birds of North and Middle America" is the most important syste- 



