Baker's Ornithological Index. 411 



plants, other objects of natural history. He met his death about 

 Christmas-day, 1834, by falling into a pit made by the natives 

 of the Sandwich Islands for catching wild bulls : one of these 

 was in at the time. A short sketch of the biography of Mr. 

 Douglas is printed in The Gardener's Magazine for May, 1835 ; 

 vol. xi., 271, 272. Mr. Douglas was only 36 years of age. 



REVIEWS. 



Art. L Titles of Works on Subjects of Natural History, published 



recently. 



Baker, T, B. L. : An Ornithological Index, arranged accord- 

 ing to the Synopsis Avium of Mr. Vigors. 8vo, 187 pages. 

 Wood, London, 1835. 



" I some years ago began to write an index of this de- 

 scription ; but ere I had waded through ten pages I discovered 

 that I had neither time nor patience for such a labour. 

 Finding, however, considerable difficulty in searching for the 

 description of any bird through two quarto volumes of Vieillot, 

 arranged according to one system; two of Spix, in a different 

 order ; ten of Latham, still different; innumerable numbers of 

 Temminck, arranged according to the fancy of the purchaser; 

 and Wilson's American Ornithology, not arranged at all ; I 

 put my books into the hands of Mr. Prince, who undertook 

 to finish it, though without an idea of publication ; but, as some 

 of my friends thought that a work of this description might be 

 of use to science, 1 have printed it, less in hopes of its being 

 useful in its present crude and unfinished state, than of its 

 serving as a stepping stone to something better. The prin- 

 cipal drudgery of the work is over ; and any good ornitholo- 

 gist, possessing far more perseverance and science than myself, 

 might, I think, by amending the errors and making some addi- 

 tions, set a stamp on the paper and render it truly valuable. 

 Were there, for instance, two or three columns placed on the 

 right hand of each page, one giving the length in inches, 

 another the prevailing colour, and a third the habitat, it would 

 add but little to the bulk," and " might still further assist the 

 student in discovering the object of his search." 



" Space is left at the end of each genus" for scope for 

 " adding the references as they appear." 



" I trust that Mr Prince's labours, for I will not call them 

 my own, may have the effect of calling forth some better work 

 from abler hands. Certes, should they be instrumental in 

 easing the labours, and facilitating the progress of one student 



F F 2 



