REVIEWS OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. .391 



A Geographical and Comparative List of the Birds of Europe and North 

 America. By Charles Lucian Bonaparte, Prince of Musignano. London : 

 John Van Voorst, 1, Paternoster-Row. 1838. pp. 67. 8vo. Cloth, lettered. 



The pages in this book are printed in double columns, with the European birds 

 on one side, and the transatlantic species on the other, the whole being so arranged 

 as to afford a distinct comparative estimate of the Ornithology of the two dis- 

 tricts. The classification is the author's own, about to be brought more fully 

 before the public at an early period. His divisions are into subclasses, orders, 

 families, subfamilies, and genera. We must, however, postpone all criticism of 

 the system till the appearance of the noble author's promised work. 



As regards nomenclature, the specific names are those of Linn^us, or of the 

 first describer after the learned Swede. Although our author makes it a rule, 

 when in want of a name, always to ascertain whether an appropriate denomina- 

 tion is to be found in the writings of the older naturalists, he does not consider 

 others bound so to do; and in no case does he deem it right to take any of the names 

 of older authors, however great may be their merits, in preference to those given by 

 Linnaeus (preface, p. vi.). Thus far we agree with Prince Bonaparte ; the 

 nomenclature of Linnaeus is so universally familiar to every naturalist worthy 

 the name, and, on the other hand, the works of older authors — whether fortu- 

 nately or otherwise — are comparatively so little known, that to adopt the terms 

 of the latter in preference to those of the former, would but beget confusion . 

 When, however, the author's preface proceeds to observe that " we owe this 

 compliment to that great man," we are entirely at issue with the prince. Lin- 

 naeus, with a spirit which ought to be wholly unknown in science, refused to 

 employ the names of his predecessors where they were good, and otherwise failed 

 to do justice to those eminent naturalists who had so materially assisted his 

 labours. We would, therefore, adopt the nomenclature of the learned Swede npt 

 as a compliment to that great man, but as a matter of convenience to ourselves. — 

 It may be observed that the author has commenced all the specific names with 

 capitals, in opposition to the usual custom. Capitals should be reserved to 

 distinguish terms derived from proper names. — English names are altogether 

 absent from the list. 



We regret, with our author, that zoologists in general should have been so 

 remiss in their attention to Ornithological Geography. In this department, 

 however, the name of Swainson stands prominent. Prince Bonaparte has 

 published comparative lists of the birds of Rome and Philadelphia, in the Nuovo 

 Giornale de Letterati, afterwards printed as a separate tract at Pisa, in 182?. 

 The present is likewise a welcome contribution to the same section of ornitholo- < 

 gical science. Whether considered as a comparative estimate, or as forming the 



3p 2 



