New and forthcoming Ornithological Works, 6fc. 189 



part of a series of figures of Chinese birds by Dr. J. E. Gray, 

 but were laid aside through pressure of other engagements. 

 Swainson was perhaps the best ornithological draughtsman of 

 his day ; and these drawings, larger than the size he usually 

 adopted, are unsurpassed by any illustrating his well-known 

 works. 



Mr. J. A.. Allen's article ''On the Mammals and "Winter 

 Birds of East Florida, with an examination of certain assumed 

 specific characters in Birds, and a sketch of the Bird Fauna of 

 Eastern North America," printed in the Bulletin of the Museum 

 of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College, Cambridge, Mas- 

 sachusetts, vol. ii., is likely to produce, if it has not already 

 done so, considerable agitation amongst ornithologists on both 

 sides of the Atlantic. The author makes a most able protest 

 against the minute subdivision of specific names, with special 

 reference to the works of his own countrymen. His arguments 

 are supported by minute examination of a number of specimens; 

 and his observations are carefully collated in tables. The nature 

 and extent of individual variation in many species is fully dwelt 

 upon ; and thence the author proceeds to what he calls climatic 

 variation, and, lastly, treats of " Species, Varieties, and Geogra- 

 phical llaces." Certain peculiarities of colour are traced to 

 certain meteorological peculiarities of the regions where they 

 occur. Increase of colour to the southward is shown to corre- 

 spond with increased intensity of the solar rays and greater hu- 

 midity of climate, and the maximum amount of colour in many 

 birds of the United States to correspond with the maximum 

 rainfall. The practical application of these laws, as understood 

 by Mr. Allen, is shown by Uis placing as simple synonyms the 

 names of a number of birds separated by recent writers on North- 

 American ornithology. In some instances we should be in- 

 clined to think he has made out his case ; but the materials at 

 our disposal in this country are not sufficiently extensive to 

 enable us to form a very decided opinion on many of the cases 

 cited. Still on these subjects we have a well-founded suspicion 

 of the application of analogical reasoning ; and on looking into 

 the instances in which the author has applied his rules outside 

 the extent of the specimens at his command, we are strongly of 



SER. III. — VOL. II. P 



