Recently published Ornithological Works. 147 



27. Rothschild's Synopsis of the Paradiseidee. 



[Da8 Tierreicli. Eine Ziisammenstellung imd Keniizeichnuiig der 

 rezenten Tierformen. Herausgegebeu von der Deutschen Zoologisclien 

 Gesellschaft. Geuevalredakteur Franz Eilhard Scluitze. 2 Lief. Aves. 

 Redakteur A. Reiclienow. Paradiseidfe bearbeitet von The Hon. Walter 

 Rothschild. April 1898. 52 pp. Berlin : Friedlfinder.] 



The second part of the ' Aves ' of the great German 

 zoological work ' Das Tierreich ■" contains a synopsis of the 

 Paradiseidse (in which family are included the Bower-birds, 

 Ptilonorhyuchinse), prepared by Mr. Rothschild, who here 

 gives us an elaborate and completely up-to-date account of 

 one of his favourite groups, of which the Tring Museum 

 contains an almost unrivalled series. We are, however, still 

 of opinion that (for reasons already stated, vide ' Ibis,"" 1897, 

 p, 440) the diagnoses should have been given in Latin 

 instead of German. 



Mr. Rothschild recognizes 78 species of Paradiseidse, 

 divided into 32 genera. Besides these, a certain number of 

 subspecies are recognized, the typical subspecies of each 

 species being indicated by the adjective "typicus" or " typica'' 

 placed after it, we are pleased to say, and not by the ugly 

 repetition of the specific term, which is sometimes used. As 

 regards generic divisions the author is not an extremist, — 

 he does not use such genera as Astrarchia, Paradisornis, 

 Trichoparadisea , and Eucorax, but at the same time he is 

 sufficiently liberal in this respect. We cannot say that in 

 our opinion he is justified in resuscitating Falcinellus and 

 giving it priority to Epimachus, as to do so will only lead 

 to confusion between Paradise-birds and Ibises, for the latter 

 of which Falcinellus is habitually employed. But then we 

 do not profess or wish to carry priority to its bitter-end — a 

 pastime which some of our friends delight in. We fear also 

 that Mr. De Yis will hardly know his own name when reduced 

 to " Vis.^^ At the same time these are but very slight 

 blemishes in what will be allowed by every ornithologist to 

 be an excellent piece of most useful work. 



L 2 



