panded and delicate gametophyte. When the sporophyte had • largely assumed this function of the gametophyte, and by the development of absorbing organs in the soil was enabled to live an independent existence, it became gradually established, as conditions changed, in situations where the gametophyte could not exist. It has thus become the dominating vegetative feature of most land areas, while the gametophyte in these higher forms, has become an organ entirely dependent upon the sporophyte for nourishment, or has been developed into an organ to serve a secondary purpose in the nourishment of the sporophytic embryo.

PROGRESS IN AMERICAN ORNITHOLOGY.

1886-1895.

BY R. W. SHUFELDT, M. D.

What I have to say here in reference to the progress in American ornithology for the past nine or ten years is prompted" by the recent appearance of the second edition of The A. O. U. Check-List of North American Birds. Most naturalists are familiar with the first edition of this work, it having been published in 1886. It was officially promulgated by the American Ornithologists' Union, and zoologists the world over have carefully considered "The Code of Nomenclature" that formed a part of the volume. Moreover, it contained a List of North American Birds which had been prepared according to the aforesaid Code of Rules, and classified in accordance with the views of the majority of the committee appointed by the Union to prepare it. In so far as the orders and families of this classification were concerned, the arrangement could be appreciated at a glance by reference to the Table of Contents of the book, and, as for the List itself, it not only was intended to represent the nomenclature of the Birds, but "a classification as well" (p. 15). At the close of the volume was presented a "Hypothetical List" to which had been referred those species and subspecies the zoological status of which could not be satisfactorily determined; and following this was a list of the fossil species of North American birds.

As the years passed by a second edition of this book was

eagerly looked for by zoologists at large, but it did not make its appearance until towards the close of December, 1895. It comes to us in the same form as its predecessor, but it does not appear to be as substantially bound or printed upon as good paper. Apart from the substitution of one member of the committee for another, it is likewise gotten out under precisely similar auspices, plans, objects and general arrangement. From it, however, has been omitted the "Code of Nomenclature," but in it are included all the new existing and fossil birds known to the committee, and which were not in the first edition of the Check-List. For this and minor changes it has but 372 pages against 392 of the original volume. In its preface it contains "extracts from the Introduction to the Code of Nomenclature," intended to serve "to explain the scope and plan of the CheckList, including the method of incorporating additions."

The second edition, then, of this work may be taken as setting forth the progress in North American ornithology as un'derstood by a committee appointed by the American Ornithologists' Union, and for a period extending between the years 1886 and 1895 inclusive. In considering this from such a standpoint, let us first take into account the number of species and subspecies added to, or subtracted from, the List of 1886, in connection with other changes, and the same for the "hypothetical list" and for the "fossil birds." After this I will consider what improvements, if any, have been made in the matter of classification.

Designating the two volumes simply by the years of their publication, as 1886 and 1895 respectively, we find that in the first group of birds presented, or the Order PYGOPODES, there were included, in 1886, 33 species and 4 subspecies, while in 1865 but 32 species are given and 4 subspecies, the change being due to the omission of Synthliboramphus wumizusume (Temminck's Murrelet, No. 22).

In 1886, the Great Auk (Plautus impennis, No. 33) was "Believed to be now extinct," while in 1895 it is confidently asserted to be "Now extinct." This being the case, we would like to inquire what place has it in a list of the existing birds of this or any other country? It is simply absurd to include birds that have no existence in nature in a list of living forms.

Passing to the second group, or Order LONGIPENNES, we find upon comparison that in 1886 it contained 44 species and 4 subspecies, while in 1895 it is seen to contain 46 species and 4 subspecies. The additions here are the two new species Larus barrovianus and Larus minutus (a straggler). Another change in this group is the calling Pallas's Gull (Larus cachinnans, No. 52) the Vega Gull (Larus vegæ [1895]).

In the third group, or the Order TUBINARES, were included, in 1886, 31 species and 3 subspecies, to which list was added a new species in 1895 (Oceanodroma macrodactyla), making 32 species and 3 subspecies for that year. Peale's Petrel (Estrelata gularis) (No. [99]), was likewise changed to the Scaled Petrel (E. scalaris) in this group.

In 1886, the fourth group, or the Order STEGANOPODES, was made to contain 17 species and 5 subspecies, and, in 1895, 19 species and 5 subspecies, the increase being due to the addition of the two new species of Gannets, Sula gossi and S. brewsteri.

Coming to the fifth group, or the Order ANSERES, there were contained in it in the 1886 List, 51 species and 6 subspecies, and, in the 1895 List, 51 species and 8 subspecies, the change being effected as follows: Anas fulvigula maculosa, the Mottled Duck, was added as a new subspecies, and Somateria mollissima was made the subspecies S. m. borealis; finally, Chen cærulescens was included in the list. Camptolaimus labradorius now being "extinct," it has no place in the List and ought not to appear there.

Group six, the Order ODONTOGLOSSE, remains the same, each List having the 1 species of Flamingo (P. ruber).

In the seventh group, or the Order HERODIONES, there were to be found 19 species and 2 subspecies, to which were added in the 1895 List a new species and a new subspecies (Ardetta neoxena and Ardea virescens frazari). Botaurus exilis becomes in the new List Ardetta exilis, and Ardea rufa becomes A. rufescens, while the "subgenus" Nyctherodius is changed to Nyctanassa.

The Order PALUDICOLE (eighth group) in the 1886 List, contained 17 species and 3 subspecies, to be changed in the 1895 List to 21 species with only 1 subspecies. This was effected by considering the subspecies Rallus longirostris crepitans (1886) to be the species Rallus crepitans, and adding also to the 1896

List the species Rallus scottii and Rallus longirostris caribæus. The subspecies Porzana jamaicensis coturniculus (1886) became the species P. coturniculus (1895). From these changes a less important one is to be noted, viz.: Rallus longirostris saturatus became, in 1895, R. crepitans saturatus (No. 211 a).

Passing to the Order LIMICOLE (ninth group), it is to be noted that in the List of 1886 there were included 66 species and 4 subspecies, and in 1895 these became 68 species and 6 subspecies, the changes being the addition of Tringa damacensis (a straggler); the two subspecies Totanus solitarius cinnamomeus and Symphemia semipalmata inornata, and the new species Hæmatopus frazari. Other changes in this group are the subgenus Rhyacophilus (1886) to read the subgenus Heladromus, and the name of the Mexican Jacana, instead of being Jacana gymnostoma (Wagl.), is now J. spinosa (Linn.).

Coming next to the Order GALLINE (tenth group), it is to be seen that in the 1886 List 22 species are given and 18 subspecies, while in 1895 there are 21 species and 22 subspecies. This reduction in the number of species was caused by the dropping out of Colinus graysoni, while the subspecies were increased by adding to the List Oreortyx pictus confinis, Tympanuchus americanus attwateri, and the two Turkeys, M. g. osceola and M. g. ellioti. Callipepla gambeli of the old work was corrected to read C. gambelii.1

In the eleventh group, or the Order COLUMBÆ, there were included in the List of 1886 12 species and no subspecies. In the 1895 List we find but 11 species, while 4 subspecies have been added. Columba fasciata viosca was recognized, while Engyptila albifrons (1885) became Leptotila fulviventris brachyptera. There was also added the subspecies Columbigallina passerina pallescens and the species Columbigallina passerina has became the subspecies C. p. terrestris.

There appeared 53 species and 29 subspecies in the twelfth group or Order RAPOTRES in 1886, while in 1895 these were increased to 54 species and 37 subspecies. In this group the

1 In making these comparisons it is to be understood that they are direct between the Check-List of 1886 and that of 1895, and that the seven supplements (1889-94) and the Abridged Edition of 1889 are not taken into consideration. The second edition (1895) is taken to be the final finding of the Committee.

changes to be noted are first the addition of the subspecies Buteo borealis harlani (337 d) and the omission of Buteo harlani (338, 1886). Buteo albicaudatus becomes the subspecies B. a. sennetti; the subgenus TACHYTRIORCHIS being introduced between Nos. 340 and 341 in the genus Buteo. Falco regulus is added to the list (a straggler in Greenland). Falco sparverius deserticolus and F. s. peninsularis, two new subspecies of Sparrow Hawks, are also added, and Falco sparverioides is changed to F. dominicensis. Falco tinnunculus is also added to the 1895 List as a straggler. Megascops asio mccallii is now determined to be M. a. trichopsis; while . a. trichopsis of the 1886 List now becomes M. a. cineraceus of 1895. Again the generic name Ulula is set aside for that of Scotiaptex of Swainson. There are also added Megascops a. aikeni, M. a. macfarlanei, M. a. idahoensis and Glaucidium g. californicum as new subspecies, and also the new species Glaucidium hoskinsii. The genus of Elf Owls formerly in the genus Micrathene have had that name replaced by Micropallas. The Order PSITTACI (13th group,) remains identical in the two Lists, having but the 1 species, the Carolina Paraquet.

Following these we have the fourteenth group or COCCYZES, an Order containing the Cuckoos, Trogons and Kingfishers. All told, in 1886, there were 9 species of these, and, in 1895, 9 species and 4 subspecies. These latter consist of 3 Cuckoos (Coccyzus minor maynardi, C. americanus occidentalis and Cuculus canorus telephonus), also the Texas Kingfisher (Ceryle a. septentrionalis). This latter was formerly Ceryle cabanisi. In the 1895 List Ceryle torquata is added [390. 1].

Next we come to the Order PICI (15th group), in which there were 23 species and 11 subspecies in 1886, which, in the 1895 List, stand as 22 species and 14 subspecies. Upon comparing the records we find that Dryobates villosus hyloscopus has been added as a subspecies, and also Dryobates pubescens oreccus. Dryobates scalaris becomes D. s. bairdi, while Dryobates stricklandi is replaced by D. arizona.

That "highly polymorphous Order," the MACROCHIRES (16th group), containing the Goatsuckers, Swifts, " etc.," presented in the 1886 List, 26 species and 3 subspecies. In the present vol