*JA Recent Literature. j^ 



have been "separated by the late Mr. Alston" as a distinct genus of tapirs, 

 whereas the separation was previously made bv Dr. Gill, and rejected by 

 Mr. Alston, who referred the Central American tapirs to the genus 

 Tapirus; the genus Rhea (p. m) is given as limited to the Chilian 

 subregion, whereas it has a wide distribution in the Brazilian subregion 

 as well; contrary to current views, the West Indian genus Solenodon is 

 repeatedly referred to the family Centetida?. Besides numerous inaccura- 

 cies of this sort, more or less erroneous and positively misleading state- 

 ments regarding the range of certain groups occur with surprising 

 frequency, while typographical (?) errors (as Cricetomys for Cricetus, 

 Rhymphastidse for Rhamphastidae, Mimocychla for Mimocichla, Pilohela 

 for P/iilo/iela, etc.) betoken, to say the least, great carelessness. The latest 

 authorities are also frequently overlooked, as, for example, nothing later 

 than Salvin, 1875, is cited on the birds of the Galapagos, although the 

 whole subject was treated by Ridgway on the basis of much new material 

 in 1889. And so on, as regards questions of classification where accepted 

 modern views are ignored. 



As regards the general subject. Mr. Beddard's chief authorities are 

 Wallace, Trouessart and Heilprin, the latter by no means a very trust- 

 worthy guide. No reference is made to any recent papers on the subject 

 of the geographical distribution of animals in North America, not even to 

 warn readers against the heresies they must contain, judged from Mr. 

 Beddard's point of \ icw . 



The work is divided into five chapters ;is follows: (1) 'The General 

 Facts of the Distribution of Animals'; (2) 'Zoological Geography'; (3) 

 'TheCauses which influence the Distribution of Animals ' ; (4) 'The Fauna 

 of Islands' ; (5) ' Some Theoretical Considerations.' The • general facts ' 

 given in the first chapter convey much general information, fairly well 

 stated. The second chapter is devoted mainly to an exposition of ' Mr. 

 Sclater's regions,' from the standpoint of Mr. Wallace. The slight impor- 

 tance of the actual facts of distribution, in Mr. Beddard's estimate, is suffi- 

 ciently shown by the following extract from p. 78: " The question is, what 

 system shall we adopt? The ideal system would be one which would 

 agree entirely with the distribution of lain! and sea and their inhabitants; 

 hut that is unfortunately impracticable. The next best is obviously the 

 plan to try; and Mr. Sclater's regions are, with an exception here and 

 there, coincident with the continents and larger islands. The great thing 

 is net to dispute the standard to be taken, but to agree in holding one 

 standard." This illogical and unscientific platform is then followed by a 

 recapitulation of Mr. Wallace's reasons for the retention of the Sclaterian 

 regions, which are adopted in the pages which follow. 



As necessarily follows in discussing "the causes which influence the 

 distribution of animals," temperature is held as of slight importance, the 

 first subheading being 'Distribution not dependent upon temperature' '! 

 Yet he is compelled to admit: "That the range of animals is to a large 

 degree dependent upon temperature is an undoubted fact ; and to a certain 



