234 
Recent Literature. 
appears that even many of the hardier species suffered severely at times 
from lack of food ; many individuals of the less hardy kinds either actually 
succumbed to the elements, or were driven away ; while migratory species 
were generally late in their arrival the following spring. In certain cases 
the resident species died from cold and hunger in such numbers as to ren- 
der them much scarcer than usual the following summer. Lack of space 
forbids an extended notice of this highly suggestive report, which relates to 
a field of research replete with interest, but one which is evidently in too 
great a degree ignored by most of even our best field naturalists, if we 
recall that the range of species, and their survival over certain portions of 
their habitat, is primarily controlled by climatic conditions, and especially 
the severity of unusually cold seasons. — J. A. A. 
Rathbun’s “ Bright-Feathers.” * — In typographical appearance 
“ Bright Feathers,” of which Part I, devoted to the Purple Finch, is 
before us, is an attractive piece of book-making ; the drawing of the plate 
is passable, and the coloring is not more highly exaggerated than in many 
plates by authors of reputation for accuracy. The text more clearly 
betrays the hand of inexperience, not only in the general treatment of the 
subject, but in sundry faulty peculiarities of expression, and in the prolix 
melodramatic relation of the author’s first acquaintance with the species, 
whose history he in the main faithfully and in some respects happily 
recounts. ' The author is evidently not wanting in knowledge of his sub- 
ject; the faults of style he will doubtless be able to overcome as the work 
proceeds, in which case>the assumed demand for colored plates, “ at nomi- 
nal prices,” of our more striking forms of bird life, accompanied with 
attractive text, may be fairly met. — J. A. A. 
Marsh’s Pal^ornithology4 — We have received an advance copy 
of this great work, issued with the permission of the Chief of Engineers in 
advance of its publication by the Survey of the Fortieth Parallel. It is 
the first of a series of monographs designed to make known to science the 
extinct vertebrate life of North America, in the investigation of which 
the author has passed the last ten years. It is unquestionably the most 
magnificent contribution ever made to our knowledge of extinct birds. 
Though the author’s previous publications have fairly introduced these 
remains to the notice of naturalists, thereby lessening the actual novelty of 
* Bright Feathers | or | some North American | Birds of Beauty. | — | By 
Frank R. Rathbun. | — j Illustrated with Drawings from Nature, and carefully 
| colored by hand. [ [Monogram.] Auburn, N. Y. | Published by the Author. 
| 1880. 4to. Part I, pp. i - viii, 9 - 24, colored Plate and colored Vignette. 
t Odontornithes : a Monograph on the Extinct Toothed Birds of North 
America ; with thirty-four Plates and forty Wood-cuts. By Othniel Charles 
Marsh, Professor of Palaeontology in Yale College. 1 vol. 4to. pp. i -x, 1 - 
201, figg. 1-40, pll. i-xxxiv, each with 1 explanatory leaf. Forming Vol. 
Y1I of the Reports of the Survey of the 40th Parallel. 
