150 NATURAL SCIENCE. Aug.. 



warmly praised, and, as the author points out, no ornithologist can 

 proceed far without consulting his ponderous tomes. Dr. Sharpe's 

 work, previously referred to, is, we think, deservedly considered an 

 " important production," as all who have occasion to dabble in the 

 mysteries of the complicated subject will allow. 



As before stated, Dr. Sharpe's work is the last on the list — to 

 our surprise, for we expected to find at least a reference to a most 

 suggestive, if only tentative, scheme by Dr. Gadow himself, which 

 appeared in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society for March, 1892; 

 although it is more than probable that this will not be adopted in its 

 entirety in the present work, yet we venture to think it should have 

 been included ; doubtless, however, the author has good reasons for its 

 omission. 



We come now to what might be called a diary of remarkable 

 events in Systematic Ornithology — a sort of developmental history of 

 classification. This retrospect (Riickblick) is arranged in a more 

 or less tabular form, and is designed to show the more important 

 changes of position which birds of doubtful affinity have been 

 subjected to. To take an example at haphazard we quote the 

 following: " Midler, 1847, Cypelhus removed from the Oscines, 

 and placed with Caprimulgus." (First) recognition of the order 

 Oscines (" Klarung der Oscines "). Some twenty-nine more or less 

 well-known workers are quoted in this connection, beginning with 

 Mohring in 1752, ending with Furbringer in 1888. 



Under the next heading, " Taxonomical Outlines," the author 

 deals with the general principles of Taxonomy, and discusses in 

 turn genealogical trees, that phenomenally arbitrary system the 

 "Key," and the various organs used by systematists as "Characters " 

 wherewith to differentiate various groups. Finally, we have a very 

 valuable table of '-'Characters" used in classification, which are 

 expressed chiefly by signs, for the sake of brevity and clearness. 

 Seeing that these signs are carefully described in the text immediately 

 preceding, there should be no difficulty in assimilating them. We 

 would suggest, however, that eventually they should be published in 

 one large sheet for use separately. 



Dr. Gadow is to be congratulated on the decided " hit " he has 

 made, and we are sure that we do but echo the sentiments of other 

 workers in this field when we say that we are anxiously looking 

 forward to the appearance of parts 44 and 45. Nevertheless, we will 

 try to keep in view that very useful proverb, " Eile mit weile," — a 

 motto which Dr. Gadow wisely adopts. W. P. P. 



Manual of Bacteriology for Practitioners and Students. By Dr. S. L. 

 Schenk, Professor in the University of Vienna. Translated (with an appendix) 

 by W. R. Dawson, B.A., M.D. (Dublin). Svo. Pp. 310. London: Longmans 

 and Co., 1893. Price 10s. nett. 



This, the most recent text-book in English upon the new science, 

 appears to be well translated and to merit a longer notice than is 

 sometimes allowed to translations ; for Dr. Dawson has added a 

 valuable and timely appendix upon the mode of vaccination for 

 cholera, a disease which has already paid us a visit this year — 

 a visit which was, fortunately, brief ; he has also included an 

 account of Professor Marshall Ward's interesting observations on the 

 influence of light upon bacteria, which have only just been pub- 

 lished in the Proceedings of the Royal Society. 



