216 Recent Ornithological Publications. 



of a '' cancel." Though both Ceyx tridactyla and C.rufidorsa seem 

 to have been well known to the older authors, they were wont 

 to regard the latter either as the female or as a variety of the 

 former. Ceryle cabanisi is recognized by Mr. Sharpe as distinct 

 from C. americana; and, according to him, the former, which 

 ranges from Texas southward to Ecuador and Peru, has been 

 spoken of under the name of the latter several times in this 

 Journal*. 



A long-expected work at last rejoices our eyes, and there are 

 but few of our readers who will not, in Mr. Wallace^s company, 



be glad 



— *' to wander far away, 

 On from island unto island at the gateways of tlie day." 



We are sure that 'The Malay Archipelago 'f will obtain such 

 close attention at the hands of all ornithologists that we think 

 there is no good reason why we should give any details of its 

 contents. Even those who agree least with the co-discoverer of 

 the theory of " Natural Selection " will admit, after reading his 

 volumes, the unquestionable right of Mr. Wallace to be regarded 

 as a naturalist-traveller of the very first class, and give him 

 credit also for the desire of being accounted a naturalist-philo- 

 sopher. The Darwinian school (to which belongs, we believe, 

 the majority of our readers), will of course readily accord him a 

 still higher position ; and indeed it will be, in our opinion, diffi- 

 cult to refuse the author of this work any rank among naturalists 

 to which he may lay claim. He set out from England with no 

 theory — his theory was forced upon him as the only mode of 

 explaining countless facts which he himself observed ; and these 

 facts are now related by him in the simplest and most unaffected 

 manner. There is not a chapter in either of these volumes 

 which will not give rise to numerous reflections of the most 

 interesting character ; and we heartily congratulate Mr. Wallace 

 on the accomplishment of his task, and earnestly hope he may 



* Ibis, 1859, p. 131 ; 1860, p. 117 ; 1865, p. 472, and 1866, p. 263. 



t The Malay Ai'chipelago : the land of the Orang-utan and the Bird of 

 Paradise. A Narrative of Travel with Studies of Man and Nature. By 

 Alfred Russel, Wallace. London : 1869. 2 vols, small 8vo. 



