96 
ZOOLOGICAL LITEllATUllE. 
descent of the several Races” from that species, Fertility of the Races 
when crossed/’ ‘‘ Reversion to the plumage ” of the wild form, “ Circum- 
stances favoumhle to the Formation of Races,” their ‘‘ Antiquity and His- 
tory,” Artificial Selection,” ‘•'Extinction of Intermediate Forms,’’ “Per- 
inanence and Mutability of Certain Rreeds,” and, liiially, a “ Summary,” of 
which we nniy give the following abstract : — It may be conlidently concluded 
that all the domestic Races are descended from C. livia, including under 
that name certain wild Races, though the ditierences between these latter 
throw no light on the distinctive cliaracters of the domestic Races. In each 
breed or subbieed the individuals are more variable than birds in a state of 
nature, and occasionally they vary in a sudden and strongly-marked manner. 
This plasticity apparently results from changed conditions of life. Disuse 
I’educes certain parts of the body. Correlation of growth so ties together 
the organization, that when one part varies, other parts vary simultaneously. 
When several breeds have been formed, their intercrossing aids the progress 
of modification, and has even produced new subbreeds j but herein “Selec- 
tion ” has been the presiding power, whether followed methodically or un- 
consciously ; and this almost inevitably leads to the extinction of the earlier 
and less improved forms, as well as of many intermediate links in each line 
of descent. 
Such, then, is a very brief account of what we must regard as tAVo of the 
most remarkable chapters ever written on any zoological subject; and in 
thus looking upon them, we entirely set aside every consideration as to the 
probability of the author’s theory being true or false. Few reflective men 
will deny the utility of such an accumulation of facts relating to one species ; 
and none will presume to question the ability with which they are presented 
to the reader, forming a monograph of a kind never attempted before. It 
"ivoiild be beyond our province to express any further opinion. 
Columba mexjeri is figured. II. Schlegel & F. P. L. Pollen, Rech. Faun. 
Madag. pi. 30. 
Talumbus torquatus is figured. J. Gould, B. Gr. Br. pt. xiv. 
- Tiirtur aiiritus, T. seneqalcnsiSf and T. risoi'ius, their dilierent habits in 
Palestine. JI. B. Tristram, Ibis, 1868, pp. 210, 211. 
Plilinoqnis pelewensis is a new species from the Pelew Islands, nearly allied 
to P. roscicapillm, Less., from the INIarianne Islands, which differs in having 
a distinct rose-red spot at the rictus, a white throat, a greyish-green head 
and neck, and other points. It is also allied to P. fusciatus,\iwt that has the 
belly and, rump dark yellow and other distinguishing characters. G. Ilart- 
laub & 0. Finsch, P. Z. S. 1808, p. 7. 
Macropyijia pliasianclla and Chalcopluips chrysochlora are figured. S. Big- 
gies, Orn. Austral, pts. xviii., xx. 
Meyaloprepia assimilis (Gould, P. Z. S. 1850, p. 201) is regarded as a 
A^ariety only of M. maynifica, E. P. Ramsay, P. Z. S. 1868, p. 387. 
. Chlorccnas subvinacea is described as a neAV species, from Costa Rica, 
lighter in colour than C. vinacea, the back and rump being of a cinnamon- 
brown, and the inner webs of the quills cinnamon-colour. It also differs 
from C. niyrirostris in being larger. G. N. Lawrence, Ann. Lyc. N. II. New 
York, 1808, p, 135. 
Laptoptila plumbeicejys and L. cerviniventris are two new species from Vera 
Paz, Guatemala. The first also occurs in Mexico, and is allied to the South- 
