72 
BULLETIN OF THE NUTT ALL 
ing given the subject careful attention, he announces his conclusion that 
this interesting form is only an unusual developmental phase of the 
Arctic Tern {Sterna macrura), corresponding to a similar but heretofore 
little-known (in this country at least) stage of the common Tern {T. hi- 
rundo). Mr. Brewster has gone carefully into a discussion of the details 
of the question, and seems to give good grounds for his position. — J. A. A. 
The Birds op Ritchie County, West Virginia. — Not long since, 
the same author published a list of the birds observed by him in West 
Virginia,* * * § based on the joint labors of himself, Messrs. Ruthven Deane, 
and Ernest Ingersoll during the interval between April 25 and Ma}^ 9, 
1874. The list includes one hundred species, with valuable field-notes, 
and forms an important addition to our faunal literature. — J. A. A. 
Birds of New England. — This enumeration by Dr. Brewer,t of 
three hundred and thirty-six species, will prove useful in showing the 
recent additions to the avian fauna of New England, the presumed cor- 
rect distribution of the species inhabiting that section, and that certain 
species accredited to it have never been obtained within its limits. 
Twenty-nine belonging to the latter class are expunged, the majority, we 
think, with good reason ; but does not previous record show that Quisca- 
lus major, Corvus ossifragus, HIgialitis ivilsonius, Sula fiber, % and Nettion 
crecca § can at least be retained as birds that have occurred here ? 
Though referring to and correcting many of the errors of earlier lists, 
we find no credit given to some recent authorities from which it is evident 
facts were gleaned. We regret to find, too, that this, our latest corrected 
treatise on the subject, omits to give the “manner and character” of the 
“ presence ” of several species with quite the exactness that the record 
warrants. 
The following, for instance, classed as summer residents (it being stated 
of Corvus americanus that “ a few Avinter ”), are constant residents in 
Southern New England, and one or two probably also in Northern 
New England, namely, Turdus migratorius, Corvus americanus, Pious vil- 
losus, Otus wilsonianus, Brachyotus casshii, Nyctale acadica, Nisus fuscus. 
The following, classed as summer residents (presumably of all New Eng- 
* Some Observations on the Birds of Ritchie County, West Virginia. By 
William Brewster. Annals of the Lye. Nat. Hist., N. Y., Vol. XI, pp. 129- 
146. [Published June, 1875.] 
i Catalogue of the Birds of New England, with brief Notes indicating the 
Manner and Character of their Presence ; Avith a List of Species included in 
previous Catalogues believed to have been wrongly classed as Birds of New 
England. By T. M. Brewer. Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist., Vol. XYII, pp. 
436-454, July, 1875. 
X See Linsley, Amer. Journ. Sci. and Arts, Vol. XLIV, 1843. 
§ Bryant, Proc. Bost. Nat. Hist., Vol. V, p. 195. 
