NATURAL SCIENCES OF PHILADELPHIA. 177 



1849. Gray, Genera of Birds, iii. Since the Spheniscidee, like 

 the Bsittacidse, the Picidse and some others, form a remarkably 

 definite and somewhat isolated group of birds, it is particularly 

 surprising that such an accomplished ornithologist as Mr. Gray 

 should here and elsewhere dismember the Alcidse for the purpose 

 of wedging the penguins bodily in between different genera of 

 auks. We have already had occasion to speak of this as " a great 

 blemish" upon Mr. Gray's treatment of these two families, and 

 our former opinion is strengthened with the increase of our know- 

 ledge upon the subject. In the " Genera," Mr. Gray adopts three 

 genera for the Spheniscidee, giving good characters and faithful 

 illustrations. We believe the division to be a very close approxi- 

 mation to the natural order in fact, we are not sure that these 

 three genera are not a more truthful expression of fact than the 

 four we are led to adopt in the present paper. Mr. Gray cata- 

 logues the species known at that date, but we do not think he is 

 in this matter nearly so successful as in his generic divisions. 

 (See 1811, Gray, below.) A beautiful colored plate (pi. 176) illus- 

 trates Eudyptes pachyrhyncha, Gray. The article is one of the 

 few that the student can confidently consult to gain a clear gene- 

 ral idea of the subject. 



1850-56. Bonaparte, ? I do not know where this author 



has treated of the penguins, and none of the authorities consulted 

 give any reference. According to quotations, he has instituted a 

 genus Eudyptila upon Aptenodytes minor, Forst., and has renamed 

 the two species of Aptenodytes that Gray named forsteri and pen- 

 nantii, calling them imperator and rex respectively. There is no 

 excuse whatever for this. 



1858. Cassin, U. S. Exploring Expedition, Birds. Uniting 

 Peale's field studies with an accurate determination of the species, 

 Mr. Cassin's article on the penguins is one of special importance. 

 After examination of the original specimens themselves, we find 

 Mr. Cassin's identifications correct throughout ; but, for some 

 reason, Eudyptes catarractes does not appear, although several 

 specimens were brought home by the Expedition, as shown in the 

 body of this paper. 



1859. Gould, P. Z. S. 98. Mentions several penguins in a 

 list of birds from the Falkland Islands. 



. 18G0. Abbott, Ibis. 336. The demersa of this author, accord- 

 ing to Gray and Sclater, is of the variety magellanicus. Gray 



