420 NATURAL SCIENCE [December 
which precede the contour-feathers are quite distinct from those 
which form the down-feathers proper. The former in the ducks, 
the fowls, megapodes, and tinamous, for instance, probably much 
more nearly represent the primitive clothing, and are in the nature 
of semiplumae, which as Garrod and the present writer have shown, 
are degenerate contour-feathers. We incline to agree with Gadow 
and to hold that the absence of down-feathers is primitive. 
The presence of teeth is undoubtedly primitive. “ Arrested dental 
papillae” are instanced as occurring In Phytotoma rara and in the 
merganser. The present writer has figured and drawn attention to 
similar structures in the tinamou and Opisthocomus. 
In describing the skull, no mention is made of the parasphenoid. 
We are told that the “ base of the brain-case is protected by a large 
basitemporal which has sometimes (e.g. Apteryx) a long rostrum in 
front.” For sometimes ‘always’ should surely be substituted. 
The description of the hyoid is unintelligible. As regards the pelvis, 
we entirely agree with Mr Beddard in favouring the view that the 
pelvis of Aves most nearly resembles that of the dinosaurs. We 
further agree with him in regarding the pectineal process as the 
equivalent of the forwardly directed process of the dinosaurian pubis, 
and the backward process as the homologue of the pubis proper in 
the two groups. 
The classification of birds is a subject of peculiar difficulty, and 
no two ornithologists can be persuaded to think alike on this matter. 
Its importance in Mr Beddard’s estimation can be gathered from the 
fact that he has devoted two-thirds of his book to this question. And 
in these pages will be found some extremely valuable and helpful 
suggestions, which will afford food for reflection for a long time to 
come. He divides the class into two sub-classes, ‘Ornithurae’ and 
‘Saururae,’ corresponding to the Neornithes and Archaeornithes of 
Gadow. The Ornithurae are further divided into ‘ Anomalogonatae’ 
and ‘ Homalogonatae.’ But it is unfortunate that nowhere is the 
latter group defined or are its boundaries fixed. As to the arrange- 
ment of the sub-orders we will only say that we should have pre- 
ferred to see the Tubinares placed next the Sphenisci, the Tinami 
near the Galli, and the Accipitres nearer the Steganopodes and 
Herodiones. 
Space forbids discussion of this book at greater length. Some 
room must be left wherein to protest against any suspicion of captious 
criticism or querulous fault-finding. Whatever statements we have 
taken exception to have been selected not as an instance of many 
such, but as blemishes to be removed should a second edition be 
called for, which is highly probable. Those who have occasion to use 
this book most will learn soonest to find out its sterling value, and 
such will best appreciate the fairness of our remarks. W. P. P. 
“Q THOU WONDROUS MOTHER-AGE!” 
THE WONDERFUL CENTURY: ITS SUCCESSES AND ITs FartureEs. By Alfred Russel 
Wallace. 8vo, pp. xii+400, with 12 folding tables and frontispiece portrait. 
London : Sonnenschein. 1898. Price 7s. 6d. 
THIS book is an appreciation of the nineteenth century, an attempt to 
look at it in its relations to the whole history of man as it will appear 
