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 Book News and Reviews 77 Gregor's ' Dichromatism in the Genus Car- podacus.' Cirinnell's 'Record of Alaskan Birds ' in the collection of Stanford Uni- versity, adds theWheatear (Saxicola rrnan- the) to the list of birds of the Pribilof Islands. Four species or subspecies are described as new, viz., a Leucosticte and a Savanna Sparrow, from Kadiak Island, a Song Sparrow from Sanak Island, Alaska, and the form of Red -breasted Sapsucker which occurs in southern California. Constant dif- ferences in closely related birds are always worth recording, but the mere description of supposed new species is not necessarily the most useful form in which to present the results of a critical comparison of specimens. Certainly in one of these cases there is an indication of superficial examination of the literature, and the adoption of a c]uestion- able method of fixing the type of an old species. An innovation of very doubtful value is the publication of the first (and we hope last) of a series of caricatures. Such cuts are likely to be misconstrued, even though published in a friendly spirit, and are certainly out of [dace in a journal of this character. The Cooper Clui:) is to be congratulated on its good work for bird protection and the firm stand it has taken in behalf of better legislation for non-game birds. Its efforts will be appreciated by bird lovers in all parts of California, in case the bill which the club has prepared becomes a law at the present session of the Legislature. — T. S. P. The Osi'rev. — It is so long since we have seen ' The Osprey ' that we are glad to welcome the first two numbers of the cur- rent volume, dated, respectively, September -October, 1900, and November-December, 1900, which have appeared since our last issue went to press. I-lach opens with an original article by Paul Bartsch; one on the birds found in and about the wild rice (ZiZ(iriia) marshes in the vicinity of Wash- ington, and the other a record of the win- ter birds seen on 'A Trip to the Zoologi- cal Park.' He brings out many points of interest, but personally we wish he would keep nearer to the earth, and in his exuber- ant enthusiasm not allow his expressed thoughts to soar too far above common- place narrative. The learned editor continues his valuable sketch of ' William Swainson and His Times,' and in the second number gives us a paper on ' Correspondence of and about Audubon with Swainson.' A continued article on ' Tiie Osprey, or Fishhawk ; its Characteristics and Habits,' which will ap- pear in at least three numbers, is the begin- ning of a series of biographies of American birds by Doctor Gill. There are, also, in- teresting papers by Milton S. Ray, Verdi Burtch, Addie L. Booker, and Percy Shufeldt, on 'Observations in Central Monterey County;' 'A Grosbeak Colony;' ' The Mockingbird in Western Kansas and its Environments;' and 'Notes Regarding the Migration of Birds as Observed at the Washington Monument.' We should like to see the letter-press and illustrations brought up to a higher stand- ard, and have it explained why, with such a constellation of renowned editors, we are able to find a page disfigured with a do^en or more typographical errors. — A. K. F. The Wilson Bulletin, No. 33. — In this number Lynds Jones and W. L. Daw- son record their ornithological observations made during a two months' trip of 7,000 miles through fourteen states and territories. There is much of interest in the itinerary, as well as in the twenty-seven separate lists which are records made at certain points or between given places on the railroads traversed. Watching birds from the car windows is a fascinating pastime, and one which we have followed for over twenty-five years. Still it lias its ilrawbacks and vexa- tions, in that it is not justifiable to publish recortls of unusual occurrences maile imtler such uncertain conditions, on account of the chance of error. From the standpoint of geographic distribution it is unfortunate, though prol>ably through no fault of the authors, that the trip was not undertaken earlier, and thus enable the observations to be more nearly an intlex to breeding species in the knalities visiteil. We heartily com- mend this nund>er.— A. K. F.