^ Recent Ornitholoc/ical Publications. 73 



family, the ' Monogra])h of Hummiug-birds/ not only, as we 

 have already said, from the difficult nature of the subject, but 

 still more from the admirable manner in which these difficulties 

 have been overcome, equally merits most unqualified approba- 

 tion. It has, we know, been objected that the money spent on 

 the production of these splendid illustrations might have been 

 otherwise better employed in the cause of science, that it was not 

 necessary for scientific purposes to figure every species of a group 

 in this elaborate and extraordinary manner. To this we reply 

 that the subject could not have been treated otherwise, for the 

 simple reason that in any other form it would not have repaid 

 the cost of publication. It is well known that an illustrated 

 scientific work is not merely a dead loss, but an enormous ex- 

 pense to the producer, unless rendered in some way attractive 

 to the public at large. Besides, there can be no doubt that 

 such works as Mr. Gould's induce many persons to take an in- 

 terest in science who would otherwise never trouble their heads 

 about anything of the sort. Let us therefore render our best 

 acknowledgments to Mr. Gould for his courage in undertaking 

 such a subject, and for the successful way in which he has brought 

 his task to a conclusion. We are quite sure that he has neither 

 spared personal labour nor grudged expense in this great work, 

 and we are equally certain that no living individual could have 

 produced its like. 



In the Introduction to the ' Monograph of Humming-birds,' 

 contained in the 28th number of the folio work, and likewise 

 reprinted in 8vo by Mr. Gould for distribution amongst his 

 friends*, the author has devoted some pages to the history of 

 the group, their geographical distribution and general internal 

 structure. He then recapitulates the whole of the species, intro- 

 ducing additional information as to many of them, and increas- 

 ing the number to 416, being 56 more than are figured in the 

 body of the work. For ourselves, we have never been able to 

 draw the line between a species and a climatic variety, nor do 

 we believe it is possible so to do. We therefore do not complain 

 of Mr. Gould having given specific names to certain local forms, 



* An Introduction to the Tiocliilidae or Family of Humming-birds. By 

 John Gouhl, F.R.S., &c. London, 18fil. 1 vol. Svo. 



