Review of M. 0. Des Murs' ' Oologie Ornithologique.' 331 



oeufs soient revetus d^une coquille luisante et lustree, cette 

 qualite n'etant propre, dans des degres infiniment varies, qu'aux 

 oeufs des oiseaux terrestres. 



" 3°. Que la couleur des oeufs ne varie en aucune maniere, 

 dans la meme espece, d'un climat <\ un autre. 



" 4". Que le mode de coloration^ tout en variant indefiuiment 

 d'une espece a une autre, est cependant constant, dans plusicurs 

 groupes, cliez les genres ou les especes qui les composent : ainsi, 

 blanc chez les Pigeons, uni et sans taches chez les Faisans et 

 chez les Tinamous. 



" 5<». Que la forme des taches, k part la couleur de celles-ci, est 

 egalement constante chez plusieurs groupes, par exemple les 

 Bruants, les Quiscales et la plupart des Icterides.'^ (pp. 188, 189.) 



We have dwelt thus at length on this preliminary portion of 

 M. Des Murs' work, because we have wished to convey to our 

 readers a distinct notion of such of his ideas as are most 

 likely to be novel to them. Our limits will oblige us to hurry 

 over their application to Oology, though this is the more useful 

 part of the subject ; indeed, we approach the practical rendering 

 of our author^s theories with some reluctance. What becomes 

 of the results of all his investigations if any of them be founded 

 on an insufficient basis ? Are the statements on which he relies 

 to be safely taken as unquestionable facts ? Are all the specimens 

 from which he has formed his opinions thoroughly to be de- 

 pended upon as genuine ? Will they admit of a severe and im- 

 partial examination in detail ? We regret very much to declare 

 tbat, looking at the published Catalogue of the Philadelphian 

 Cabinet*, of which, as we before said, M. Des Murs' collection 

 now forms part, the odour of a grave suspicion reaches us. 

 What are we to think of specimens from this (his former) collec- 

 tion (and we take only two out of several instances we might 

 select) of Tardus iliacus and Totanus semipalmatus, to which 

 " France " is assigned as a locality, — and yet such are entered in 

 Dr. Heermann's list ? Does any oologist pretend that the nidi- 

 fication in that country of cither of the species just mentioned 



* Catalogue of the Oological Collection in the Academy of Natural 

 Sciences of Philadelphia. By A. L. Ileermann, M.D. March 1, 1853, 

 pp. 36. 



