2 3 2 
Recent Literature. 
[Octohei 
Turner on Lagopus mutus and its Varieties.* — The author be- 
lieves, as held by many authors, that the “European birds mutus and 
al ft inns'" constitute “but a single species having the name Lagoftus mutus 
Leach, while the American bird may be recognized as a fairly definable 
race to be called Lagoftus mutus ruftestris (Gm.) Ridg. Four races are 
recognized, as follows : i. Lagoftus mutus , Europe; 2. L. mutus ruftes- 
tris, Arctic America ; 3. L. mutus reinhardti, Greenland and Labrador; 
4. L. mutus atkkensis, Atkha Islard, Aleutian Chain. The author states 
that during the time of the summer plumage scarcely a day passes without 
the general color of the plumage varying by the appearance or loss of 
some feather, and that it is scarcely possible to find two birds of the same 
sex, age, and locality which do not differ to an appreciable degree in color. 
Detailed descriptions and measurements are given of a considerable num- 
ber of specimens of each race. — J. A. A. 
Reichenow’s “Die Vogel der Zoologischen Garten. ” f — Dr. Reich- 
enow’s handbook for bird-keepers is designed to furnish bird-lovers who 
are not ornithologists with the means of readily identifying such species 
as are kept in zoological gardens, parks, and aviaries, and seems to be 
well adapted to that end. The first part, recently issued, treats of 693 
species, 235 genera, and 45 families, belonging to the 11 “orders” Brevi- 
ftennes , Urinatores , Longiftennes , Stega n oft odes. Lamellirostres , Cu r so res, 
Gressores , Gy r antes , Cryftturi , R as ores, and Rafttatores. Concise diag- 
noses are given, not only of the species and genera, but of the higher 
groups, and English and French, as well as German, vernacular names 
are supplied for the species. No synonyms are cited, even in cases where 
the names preferred by the author are not those most generally in use, 
nor on their bibliographical references. In the introduction the author 
gives a “Vogel-Stammbaum,” in illustration of his views of the relation- 
ship of the various groups of birds, which he divides first into 7 Series 
(“Reihen”), and these into 16 orders, with apparently about 100 families. 
As a popular handbook for German readers of birds kept in parks and 
aviaries the work seems worthy of generous commendation. — J. A. A. 
Reichenow’s “Die Entenvogel der Zoologischen Garten.” X — 
In a paper of 16 quarto pages Dr. Reichenow enumerates the species of 
Lamellirostres ( Anatidoe and Palamedeidce) , giving brief diagnoses of the 
species kept in zoological gardens, and the characters of the genera sub- 
genera and higher groups, prepared in the interest of practical bird-keep- 
ers. — J. A. A. 
* On Lagopus mutus, Leach, and its Allies. By Lucien M. Turner. Proc. U. S. 
Nat. Mus., 1882, pp. 225- , July 29, 1882. 
t Die Vogel der Zoologischen Garten. Leitfaden zum Studium der Ornithologie mit 
besonderer Beriicksichtigung der in Gefangenschaft gehaltenen Vogel. Ein Handbuch 
fur Vogelwirthe. Von Dr. Ant. Reichenow. In zwei Theilen. [Theil 1.] Leipzig, 
1882, 8vo. pp. xxx + 278. 
+ Die Entenvogel der Zoologischen Garten. Von Ant. Reichenow. Ornithologisches 
Centralblatt, VII Jahrg., Nos. 1-6. Jan.-May, 1882, pp. 1-5, 17-23, 35-40. 
