1866. | Lhe Progress of Zoology. 49) 
Pterylography, a newly invented term, Neossology, and Oology. If 
the work is intended solely for professed ornithologists, perhaps 
this division may be considered to have its advantages; but to 
persons not familiar with Dr. Sclater’s geographical distribution of 
birds, these divisions are somewhat puzzling, and necessitate a hunt 
through the whole, the divisions being at least useless. In the 
special part of this subject the same divisions are used, which would 
save further trouble if the paper is found in the first list, but which 
is otherwise open to the same objections. We do not doubt that 
Mr. Newton has used his best judgment in this mode of treating 
his department, but we would suggest that it 1s capable of improye- 
ment. Among birds, our ornithologists, Gould, Sclater, Wallace, 
Salvin, Swinhoe, and others, have left the impress of their labours, 
and they are worthily supported by continental brethren, such as 
Hartlaub, Pelzeln, Rosenberg, and others. As we might suppose, 
from their numbers, the Passeres have received the greatest amount 
of attention and the largest accessions, though every other order 
has made steady and interesting advances. One of the most 
interesting ornithological events of the year was the exhibition, 
by Mr. Thomas Allis, of York, of the very recent remains of a 
Dinornis robustus, at a meeting of the Linnean Society. ‘This 
bird had been found in a sand hill, about 100 miles from Dunedin, 
in the middle island of New Zealand, and in such preservation that 
a considerable portion of the outer skin, studded with the quill part 
of the feathers, remained. 
No one could be more fitted to record the progress of Herpetology 
than Dr. Ginther himself, this bemg his own special subject ; and 
the same remarks apply to this portion of the work which were 
made with reference to the record of Mammalia, The chief work 
of the year in this department is undoubtedly Dr. Giinther’s elabo- 
rate memo on the “ Reptiles of British India,” published with 
twenty-six most beautiful and life-like plates, by the Ray Society. 
In this work he describes no less than 526 species, many of them 
new. Besides this great work, several minor contributions are from 
Dr. Giinther’s pen. Dr. Gray has also been very prolific of 
papers in the systematic department of this subject. It appears 
that the number of reptiles known has much increased of late 
years, and Van der Hoven’s estimate of 1,500 species is regarded as 
much too low. The Chelonia have received much elucidation from 
Dr. Gray, more particularly the Asiatic and African species of 
freshwater turtles. Mz. Cope, of Boston, and Dr. Giinther have 
been the chief investigators of the Saurian reptiles. Peters, 
Dumeril, and Giinther, of the Ophidians. The question of the 
position of the Amphibia with regard to reptiles has been again 
raised by Dana, and the view seems to obtain favour from Dr. 
Ginther, that Amphibians form a distinct group in the class of 
VOL, III. E 
