Recent Ornithuluf/ical Publicaiions. 125 



gratulate Mr. Harting on his publication, which shows that he 

 is a most pains-taking and careful ornithologist. 



The Ornithological Ramble of our recently elected colleague 

 Mr. Arthur Crichton* will no doubt be received with much 

 pleasure by a large circle of readers, though we must complain 

 that the influence of the Destroying Angel seems rather to pre- 

 dominate over that of the Genius of Ornithology in his pages ; 

 but as it is some time since we have had any account of the 

 Orkneys from a naturalist's point of view, we are the less in- 

 clined to be hard to please in this respect. We may, however, 

 remark that our worthy friend the author is mistaken in sup- 

 posing that he has "strictly adhered to ]\Ir. YaiTcll's nomencla- 

 ture;" for wherever that differs from the very irregular List in 

 common use, the latter is followed. 



The handsome volume recently brought out by Major Kingf 

 contains an account of some of the birds of Canada, drawn up 

 with more regard to scientific accuracy than is usual among 

 sporting writers. Especially we must congratulate the gallant 

 author on being aware that Wilson is not the latest or only 

 authority on American ornithology — a piece of information cer- 

 tainly not possessed by several persons in this country who occa- 

 sionally essay " to teach the young idea how to shoot.'' We 

 have, however, to notice that Major King does not seem quite 

 clearly to comprehend the grounds on which some ornithologists 

 suppose that the Domestic Turkey has not been derived from 

 the wild bird of Canada and the United States, but from that 

 of Mexico (the Meleagris mexicana of Mr. Gould) — an opinion 

 which may be correct or not, but one that is not influenced by 

 the evidence adduced by the author, who is also, we think, 

 somewhat premature in pronouncing the American Anser gam- 

 beli to be identical with the European A. albifrons, since he does 



* A Naturalist's Ramble to the Orcades. By A. W. Crichton, B.A., 

 F.L.S.,etc. London: 18(56. Fcp. 8vo., pp. 132. 



t The Sportsman and Naturalist in Canada. By Major W. Ross King, 

 &c. &c., Illustrated with Coloured Plates and Woodcuts. London : 1866. 

 Roy.Svo. pj). .'^■^4. 



