36. Ampelis cedrorum (Vieill.) Bd. Cedarbird.—It was not uncommon at Grand Falls. At Fort Fairfield we found it common.
37. Vireo olivaceus (Linn.) Vieill. Red-eyed Vireo.—Common.
38. Vireo philadelphicus Cass. Philadelphia Vireo.—Taken only at Grand Falls in May, singing in the hard woods.
39. Vireo solitarius Vieill. Solitary Vireo.—This species was apparently not very common at Fort Fairfield. It was not seen at Grand Falls. Mr. McLeod gives it in his notes as “quite common” at Houlton.
40. Pyranga rubra (Linn.) Vieill. Scarlet Tanager.—Not rare in the hard woods at Grand Falls. The people there call them “war-birds.” We did not see them at Fort Fairfield, though we have reason to think that they occur. At Houlton Mr. McLeod says they are “rare. They arrive May 29. I have not found the nest, but have a young one taken here. They remain all summer.”
Recent Literature.
Dr. Coues’ New Check List and Dictionary.[[52]]—Judging from advance sheets lately received, this new treatise by Dr. Coues will occupy a previously unclaimed place among ornithological works; for, as its title indicates, it is much more than a catalogue of North American birds. Its novel feature is a dictionary of etymology, orthography and orthoëpy of scientific names, to which is devoted the lower portion of each page of the running list. In this department the generic, specific and varietal names—duplicated from the text above with the addition of the diacritical marks for quantities, accents and division of syllables—are exhaustively treated; their derivation and meaning being explained, their construction scrutinized, their spelling revised, and their applicability in each particular case carefully considered. The erudition and scholarly research involved in this undertaking must be apparent to the most casual reader. The practical value of the work is equally plain, and perhaps it is not too much to say that it calls for a fuller measure of gratitude on the part of ornithologists than anything which its versatile author has hitherto produced.
A detailed consideration of the Check List proper must necessarily be deferred until the appearance of the complete work; pending this, we may simply say that the plan followed by Dr. Coues is essentially to make a second edition of his original list, with all the required additions and corrections to date, and such revision of nomenclature as seemed desirable and practicable. Ten species are subtracted, and one hundred and twenty added, while names are changed for various reasons in probably more than a hundred cases. A simple system of reference numbers forms a concordance of the present and original edition, as well as with Baird’s list of 1858 and Ridgway’s of 1880. The total number of species and varieties enumerated is eight hundred and eighty-eight.
It should be mentioned that the introductory portion of the work includes an analysis of the present list as compared with that of 1874, and an important chapter entitled “Remarks on the use of names.” The latter is devoted to a general consideration of the technique of Greek and Latin scientific names and the principles governing their derivation, spelling and pronunciation.
The book ends with a catalogue complete to date of the author’s ornithological publications. We understand that the edition will be offered to the public before the close of the present month. May it meet with the cordial reception which it so richly merits.—W. B.