24 
AVES. 
THE GENEEAL SUBJECT. 
Allen, J. A. On the Mammals and Winter Birds of East Flo- 
rida, with an Examination of certain assumed Specific Cha- 
racters in Birds, and a Sketch of the Bird-Eaunte of Eastern 
North America. Bull. Mus. C. Z. ii. pp. 161-450, pis. 
iv.-viii. 
Perhaps the most important ornithological publication of the 
year, and one possessing an interest far beyond the limited scope 
its title intimates, though it cannot be said that the subject is 
clearly treated — very likely because clear treatment is at present 
impossible. |^fter a brief Introduction, Part I. (pp. 163-167) 
is devoted to the Topographical, Climatic, and Faunal Charac- 
teristics of East Florida. Part II. is a list of Mammals ; and 
with Part III. (pp. 186-250) the general interest of the essay 
begins. It is on Individual and Geographical Variation among 
Birds, considered with respect to its bearing upon the Value of 
certain assumed Specific Characters. First, Individual Variation 
is taken, whether (a) in colour generally (p. 187), and depend- 
ing on season (p. 192) and age (p. 193), or {b) in size, generally 
(p. 197) or proportionally (p. 199), such as relative length of the 
wings and tail, and (p. 205) variation in the number of rectrices, 
or (p. 220) individual variation in the size and form of the bill. 
Then we have {c) Variations in size and form of the Bill, Wings, 
and such like, resulting from age (p. 226), followed by {d) Gene- 
ral Eemarks on Individual Variation (p. 228) and (e) on Climatic 
Variation (p. 229) ; (/) remarks on Species, Varieties, and Geo- 
graphical Eaces (p. 242), concluding this Part. Part IV. (pp. 
250-375) gives a list of the Winter Birds of East Florida, and, 
though of more special interest, well deserves study. Part V. 
(pp. 375-425) is on the General Distribution of the Birds of 
Eastern North America, with special reference to the number 
and circumscription of the Faunas, and, after (1) Introductory 
Eemarks, treats of (2) the Natural Provinces of the North- 
American Temperate Eegion (p. 384), (3) the seven Ornitho- 
logical Faunas of the Eastern Province of that Eegion, viz. the 
Floridian (p. 391), Louisianian (p. 392), Carolinian (p. 393), 
Alleghanian (p. 395), Canadian (p. 398), tiudsonian (p. 400), 
and American Arctic (p. 403), these being all considered in 
reference to the range of Mammals and Eeptiles — (4) the Orni- 
thological Districts of the Eegion (p. 406), and (5) the Geo- 
graphical Eange of the Species (p. 407), folloAved (p. 418) by 
Geneial Eemarks on the Distribution and Migration of the Birds 
of the Eastern Province. An Appendix (p. 426) contains a suffi- 
ciently complete bibliographical list ; and the plates show some 
remarkable variations in the form and size of the bill in 16 spe- 
