Page:Condor10(1).djvu/55

 54 THE CONDOR Vox,. X lished by the Carnegie Institution of Washing- ton I June, 19o 7. This paper presents rather an imposing ap- pearance to have been based on such meager data. Lists of Amphibians, (5), Reptiles (5), Birds (13o) and Mammals (5), are given, and yet only 75 specimens of all the vertebrates together are stated to have been obtained; and the author was evidently quite unfamiliar with the biota of the region. It is no wonder that nearly half the species are more or less in doubt. Dr. C. W. Richmond deserves the credit for naming the bird-skins, which were submitted to him fordetermination. One bird, Olbiorchilus furniffats idles is described by him as new. The six colored plates are by J. L. Ridgway.--J. G. BIRDS OF LABRADOR by CHARLES Wo TOWNSEND, M.D., and GLOVER M. ALLEN [=Proc. Boston Soc. Nat. Hist. Vol. 33, No. 7, pp. 577-428, pl. 59; July, I9O7]. This is a review of our knowledge of the ornis of Labrador, based upon all previously published accounts together with some new matter resulting from a visit by the authors in 19o6. Au extensively annoted list shows that 559 species have been accredited to Labrador. Of these, 23 are authenticated species, 2 are extinct, and 44 doubtful or erroneous. The his- torical phase of the subject is accorded detailed attention, and we are given most interesting quotations from the records of the early ex- plorers. The authors also discuss the "Faunal Areas" of the region. The Arctic, HudsonJan and Canadian life zones are found to be repre- sented. The entire paper shows the results of skilled and conscientious investigation and raises the standard which faunal papers of the future will be expected to reach.--J. G. EIGHTEEN NEW SPECIES AND ONE NEW GENUS OF BIRDS FROM EASTERN ASIA AND THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS, by AUSTIN H. CLARK [=Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. Vol. XXXII, pp. 467-475; June I5, I9O7]. This paper includes the description of a new Rock Ptarmigan, from Adak Island, one of the central links in the Aleutian Chain. The bird is called Laffofius ruestris chamberlaini, and is characterized [in uuptial plumage of male?] as being the grayest and one of the lightest of the Aleutian insular forms of the Rock Ptar- migan.--J. G. THE BIRDS oF IOWA, by RUDOLPH M. AN- DERSO,N [=Proceedings of the Davenport Academy of Sciences Vol. XI, pages 125-417,  map; March, 19o7]. Anderson's "The Birds of Iowa" is an admir- able paper thruout, the best gotten up state list that has come to our notice. It has the stamp of scholarly workmanship. There is evidence of longscontinued research into the literature of the State, and careful attention to detail. The typography is excellent, Iowa ornithologists are to be congratulated upon so satisfactory an exposition of their avifauna.-- A PRELIMINARY CATALOG I oF THE [ BIRDS OF MISSOURI I by [ OTTO WIDMANN [ St. Louis, Mo. I 19o7 [our copy received Dec. 7, I9O7]. Pp. 1-288. While the word "preliminary" occurs in the title, this book is really an exhaustive treatise on the subject of the distribution and migra- tion of Missouri birds. It seems to be an im- plied intention on the part of the author to publish later a report covering the life histories of the birds of the region, and if this is carried out with the same fidelity as the present "pre- liminary" report, we will h{ave access to an ideal compendium of Missouri ornithology. The present Catalog contains 383 species, ot which 165 are breeders. Of the 383, 30 have not been actually taken within the State, thus leaving 353 fully authenticated species. Each species is annotated with localities and dates of occurrence, and with the rarer species the notes are given in detail. Preceding the Catalog proper is an Introduc- tion followed by a Bibliography, Explanations (of terms employed and method of 'treatment), and discussions of Faunal Areas, The Climate, Topography, Decrease of Birds and Bird Pro- tection. Each of these topics is handled in a clear, concise manner, giving one the impres- sion that the writer has thoroly studied his subject before attempting to publish upon it. The latter, it may be remarked, is not an overly common thing in American ornithology in the present age. Mr. Widmann is only now be- ginning to give us the general results of his twenty years of study upon Missouri birds, and we therefore look up to him as being in a posi- tion to handle his subject authoritatively. --J. G. Volume III of THE WARBLER, published by MR. JOHN LEWIS CHILDS, came to hand iu November. It consists of 56 pages, besides a colored frontispiece. There are six half-tones of nests and eggs. Two of these show eggs of the Harlan Hawk taken in Iowa. The excel- lent colored plate and brief accompanying note pertain to the eggs of the Santa Catalina Part- ridge (Lophorlyc calalinensis). P. B. Peabody follows with two illustrated articles on "The Breeding of the Arctic Towhee" and "Rock Wren the Cliff Dweller." J. W. Clayton fur- nishes "Field Notes from the Upper Penobscot, Maine." Two essays by John Bachmau, writ- ten fully 65 years ago, one of which is printxl here for the first time, show some decidedly good field'observations on the habits of