AVES. 
Ill 
great destruction of these birds in the Falkland Islands. A,. A. Lecomte, 
P. Z. S. 18G8, pp. 627, 528. 
PODICIPIM. 
Podtceps microjjtertts is a new species, from Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, about 
the size of P. rvhricolUs [sc. griseigena], with a very stout bill and crest 
almost as in Eudyptes. It can be distinguished from every Podiceps by the 
extreme shortness of its wing (only 4 inches). J. Gould, P. Z. S. 1868, 
pp. 220, 221. 
Podiceps affinis (Zool. Rec. iii. p. 115), its description translated into 
German. E. von Martens, J. f. 0. 1868, p. 70. 
Podiceps pehelni is figured. H. Schlegel & F. P. L. Pollen, Rech. Faun. 
Madag. pi. 40. 
Podiceps australis is figured. S. Biggies, Orn. Austral, pt. xx. 
Alcidas. 
CouES, Elliott. A Monograph of the Alcidce. Philadelphia : 1868. 8vo, 
pp. 81. [Separately printed from Proc. Acad. N. S. Philad. Jan. 
1868*.] 
On this treatise the author has undoubtedly spent much time and labour, 
but without (we think) the same happy result that has almost invariably 
attended his other works. After a few introductory remarks, he gives a 
review (in some respects very complete) of the literature relating to the 
family, and then proceeds to treat of its characters and Subdivisions. He 
makes three subfamilies : — The first, Alcince, with Alca and Utamania ; the 
second, Phaleridince [lege Phaloridince], including Fratercida, Lunda, Ccra- 
torhyncha, Sagmatorhma, Simorhynchus, and Ptychorhamphus ] the third, 
Urinee [lege TJriih<e\, containing Mergulus, Synthlihorhamphus, Brachyrham- 
p>lms, Uria, and Lomvia. Of each of these groups the characters are con- 
cisely given. After this follow descriptions (often extremely minute and 
illustrated by outline woodcuts of the head) of the species, 33 in number, 
one of which is given as new, and two or three as somewhat doubtful. There 
are a few errors in this otherwise extremely valuable Monograph ; some of 
them we have elsewhere noticed. [ Cf. Ibis, 1868, pp. 483-485.] 
Steenstrup, Jap. Mat<5riaux pour servir a I’histoire de VAlca impennis (L.) 
et Recherches sur les pays qu’il habitait. Bull. Soc. Orn. de la Suisse, 
tom. ii. Ire partie, pp. 6-70. 
This is a French translation of the excellent monograph (Vidensk. Med- 
del. Naturhist. ForeningiKjbbenhavn, 1856, pp. 33-116) which has afforded 
help to so many investigators of this bird’s historj^, and indeed was the first 
attempt to put together the known facts, so as to permit a correct view being 
taken of it. The work first (A) treats of the appearance of this species in 
the western waters of the Atlantic, (1) on the coast of Greenland and (2) in 
the Gulf of St. Lawrence and the Newfoundland seas. Then (B) the same 
is done with regard to the east side of the Atlantic, beginning with (1) Ice- 
land, and proceeding to (2) the Fferoes, (3) the Scotch Islands, and (4) the 
coast of Norway. A summary of the author’s researches (0) on the geogra- 
phical range of the species is then given, followed by a history (B) of the 
* For the reason above given (p. 30, note), we are unable to give the precise 
reference. 
