122 PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



" The Distribution of the Birds of North Russia/' Parts L, IL, and 

 III. (Annals and Mag. Nat. History, 1877); Part I., "The latitudinal 

 Distribution of Birds of North-east Russia, north of 64° 30' N. lat." 

 Specimen Table 2 is intended to show the plan of a " New list 

 of European Birds," upon the principle explained above. 



Such, then, is my method as it at present stands ; and should 

 any member of this Society, or other naturalist, have any sugges- 

 tions to give for its improvement, modification or elaboration, I 

 would be glad if they would bring them forward for discussion. 



I have just received, through the courtesy of H.H. Dr 

 E. Rey and Hellwig of Leipzig, a new list of European Birds,"^ 

 by Dr E. Rey, bearing date, 1875. , Upon opening it, I 

 found with pleasure that it was arranged upon almost the exact 

 plan which I have proposed above as regards the ruling; the 

 horizontal lines, however, being dotted lines, and the perpendicular 

 only, continuous lines. Ten columns are placed opposite the 

 names of the species, f Might I suggest to Dr Rey that, in the 

 next edition of his most useful list, he should increase the number 

 of columns, to admit of the list being used as a daily register in 

 the field, for say one month (31 columns), and also that the 

 horizontal lines and the names of the species be printed a good 

 deal wider (quite double as wide as at present), to admit of more 

 daily notes being entered by symbols. If this be done, the 8vo 

 form can still be retained, the linear arrangement being made 

 continuous across two pages, and the list of species being printed 

 only on the left hand side. 



It is not my intention here to enter into any criticism of Dr 

 Rey's list, beyond the single remark, that I think the rules of 

 nomenclature of the British Association do not appear to have 

 been strictly adhered to, especially as regards the insertion and 

 use of brackets with the names of authorities, and the " rule of 

 priority " appears also to have been disregarded. Thus, " Passer 

 domesticus, Koch," should stand as Passer domestictts (L.) 



* *' Verzeichniss der Europilischen Briitvogel und Gliste, nach den neuesten 

 Ermittelungen, Zusammengestellt von Dr E. Rey." Leipzig, 1875. 



+ It is only due to myself to state that this is the first I have seen of Dr 

 Ilej^'s list, and I cannot be charged with not having sooner acknowledged it, as 

 the idea of the cross-ruling occurred to me quite independently of any other 

 person's suggestions. 



