CLAIMS OF OOLOGY TO BE AN EXACT SCIENCE. De 
THE CLAIMS OF OOLOGY TO BE REGARDED AS 
AN EXACT SCIENCE. 
By J. B. Dossiz, F.R.S.E., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 
(Read 4th January 1900.) 
THE study of Oology is one which has not received from 
students of Natural History the amount of attention which 
it deserves. In Germany, it is true, its claims to be 
regarded as an exact science have at last been fully admitted ; 
but in England the recognised authorities on Ornithology, 
with a very few notable exceptions, still give the subject little 
or no serious consideration. That a knowledge of oology is 
absolutely necessary for taxonomic purposes is, however, a 
mere truism, which no responsible ornithologist of the 
present day will dare to gainsay. ‘True it is that, as yet, 
the achievements which have been attained in this direc- 
tion by scientific oologists have fallen far short of what had 
been expected. Yet for this seeming failure at least two 
causes might be assigned: Firstly, the inevitable reaction 
caused by the disappointment of those who cherished wild 
hopes that the brilliant discoveries, such as the affinity of 
the Limicole and Gavie, made by the votaries of oology, 
would be maintained. Secondly, the apathy of the great. 
majority of our recognised authorities. But, notwithstand- 
ing all this, there can be no doubt that the study of Ornitho- 
Oology will amply repay the serious and inquiring student 
of nature. In proof of this assertion, let me quote from 
two competent authorities. Professor Newton, the most 
distinguished ornithologist of our time, says: “ Oology, taken 
alone, proves to be a guide as misleading as any other 
arbitrary method of classification, but combined with the 
evidence afforded by the study of other particularities, 
whether superficial or deep-seated, it can scarcely fail in 
time to conduct us to an ornithological arrangement as 
nearly true to nature as we may expect to achieve.” And 
again, Dr Eugéne Rey, a brilliant German specialist, in the 
