708 BIOGRAPHICAL MKMOIKS. 



tions) in 1873, and with still further inodifica+^ioiis by the Americau 

 Ornithologists' Union, in 1880. 



The distinctive features of the "Bairdian School" were still further 

 developed l)y the publication, in 18G4:-"()(), of the '" Review of American 

 liirds," a work of unequalled njerit, displaying in their perfection Pro- 

 fessor Baird's wonderful powers of analysis and synthet^is, so strongly 

 combined in his treatment of difficult problems. Unfortunately for 

 ornithoh)gy this work was but fairly begun, oidy a single volume (an 

 octavo of 450 pages) being published. The cause of its discontinuance 

 is not definitely known to the present writer, but it may have been the 

 intervention of the "Ornithology of California," * a work based on the 

 manuscript notes of I)r. J. G. Cooper, but edited by Professor Baird, 

 who also superintended its publication, and the " History of North 

 American Birds," t material for which was already being arranged, be- 

 sides other literary work and the increasing pressure of administrative 

 duties. Whatever the cause, however, its discontinuance is to be 

 regretted, since its completion woidd have given us an invaluable guide 

 to the study of Neotroi)ical birds. 1 have it on good authority 

 that no single work on American ornithology has made so profound an 

 impression on European ornithologists as Professor Baird's '' K'eview ;" 

 and, by the same authority, I am ))ermitted to state that he — a European 

 by birth and rearing — became an American citizen through its intluence. 



In the i)reface to the present writer's latest work on American 

 ornithology J the author is proud to mention that the book was " orgi- 

 nally projected by Professor Spencer V. liaird, - - - whose works 

 represent the highest type of systematic ornithology and have furnished 

 the model from which the younger generation of ornithologists have 

 drawn their inspiration ;" and that his friendly advice and suggestions 

 had reiulered comparatively easy the performance of a task which uiuler 

 less favorable auspices would have been far more difficult of accomi)lish- 

 nient — acknowledgments which but faintly express the author's obliga- 

 tion to his tutor. 



'Geological Survey of Califoruia. J. D. Whituey, State Geologist. Ornithology. 

 Vol. I. Land Birds. Edited by S. F. Baird, from the inannscript and notes of J. G. 

 Cooper. Published by authority of the higislature, 1870. A royal octavo volume of 

 592 pages, illustrated by numerous wood-cuts, some (colored by hand. 



tA History of North American Birds, by S. F. Baird, T. M. Brewer, and R. Ridgway. 

 Land Birds, illustrated by 64 colored plates and 59:5 wood cuts. Boston : Little, 

 Brown &, Company, 1874. 3 vols., small (juarto. Vol. i, pp. i-xxviii, 1-596, i-vi, 

 cuts, andpll. i-xxvi; v(d. ii, :? pll. pp. 1-590, i-vi, cuts, and pll. xvii-lvi; vol. iii, :? pll., 

 pp. 1-560, I 1., i-xxviii, cuts, and pll. Ivii-lxix. 



tA Manual of North American Birds, by Robert Ridgway. Illustrated by U'A 

 outline drawings of the generic characters. Philadelphia : .1. B. Lippincott Com- 

 pany, 1887. Royal octavo. Frontispiece (portrait of Professor Baird), pp. i-xi, 1-631, 

 pll. i-cxxiv. 



The history of this work, brietly stated, is as follows : 



Bef(u-e the printing of llie " History of North American Birds" bad been completed. 

 Professor Baird bad under way a suiaUer but very useful work, consisting of the ana- 



