of Naumann's ' Vogel Deutschlands.' 43 



of the good cause. He too has served several oological cam- 

 paigns in the countries bordering on the German Fatherland, of 

 which that of Hungary in 1847 was certainly not wanting in 

 great results, and, as Secretary of the German Ornithological 

 Society, has greatly contributed to its prosperity by his well- 

 deserved popularity and assiduous attention. The name of 

 Dr. Sturm is less known to us, except as the reproducer of 

 Mr. Gould's monograph of the Toucans, but to him we are in- 

 debted for many of the illustrations which embellish this book ; 

 and these, if not most artistic, are at least eminently charac- 

 teristic of the subjects they depict, and are also successful imita- 

 tions of the style of engraving in which the younger Naumann 

 was so great a proficient. 



By a happy division of labour, the authors of the work we are 

 noticing have each contrived to exhibit the results of their ex- 

 perience and learning without in the least interfering with one 

 another. Professor Blasius has confined himself to the syno- 

 nymy and the critical and diagnostic descriptions of the species — 

 how successfully, those who are acquainted with his other writings 

 will not require to be told. On the other hand, to Dr. Baldamus 

 are owing those parts of the volume which treat of the geo- 

 graphical range and propagation, and the general observations 

 on the habits — all of which subjects are, it is almost needless 

 to say, handled with equal ability. 



We have said that we consider Naumann himself to have been 

 occasionally in error, and it is not to be supposed that we mean 

 to give our unfeigned assent and consent to all the articles of 

 faith prescribed for us by his successors. Erudite ornithologists 

 as they are, in a few matters we hold them clearly in the wrong ; 

 and we shall here take the opportimity of noticing at some 

 length a single instance of this kind, especially as it is one which 

 has perhaps provoked more discussion than any other connected 

 with the European Avi-fauna. For although to us, indeed, the 

 solution seems simple enough, this has certainly not been gene- 

 rally recognized to be the case. It is the question of the Great 

 Northern Falcons. We do not pretend to announce any new facts 

 bearing on the matters at issue, but it seems to us that those 

 already on record have not been thoroughly comprehended by 



