418 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



terms Ortyx and Parra on the quite insufficient grounds 

 which have been put forward for doing so. No well-known 

 name should be altered where there is the slightest doubt of 

 the absolute necessity of so doing. 



Good coloured figures are given of Ortalis wagleri, Odonto- 

 phorus melanotis, O. leucolcemus, and 0. cinclus. 



It is expected, we are glad to say, that the " Birds " of 

 this important work may be brought to a clo?e before the 

 end of the year. 



81. 'Handbook of Instruction for Collectors? 



[Handbook of Instruction for Collectors issued by the British Museum 

 (Natural History). London, 1902. 137 pp. Longmans. Price 2s. 6d.~\ 



This is a very useful little book, and should be referred 

 to by every naturalist who goes abroad to collect. Even 

 if he knows all about his particular subject, there are sure 

 to be points on which he may require assistance, and here he 

 will find it. The section relating to bird- skinning is short, 

 but full of information, and contains, we think, everything 

 that it is necessary to know. We are specially pleased 

 with the chapter on how to determine the sex of a bird. Tt 

 is clear, precise, and well illustrated. But we should also 

 have liked to have chapters on collecting birds'-eggs and 

 birds in spirit, which both require special treatment. 



82. Hartert on Brisson's Generic Terms. 



[Eine logische unabweisbare Aenderung in der ornithologischen Nomen- 

 klatur. Von E. Hartert. V. Internat. Zool. Congr. pp. 897-899.] 



It has been the fashion with many ornithologists (especially 

 those with exaggerated views of the claims of priority) to use 

 Brisson's so-called " generic names." Mr. Hartert proves 

 to us most clearly that this practice is incorrect. Brisson, 

 with all his undoubted merits, never made any generic names 

 adapted to the modern system of binomial nomenclature, 

 The typical Pigeons, for example, he named " Genus Colum- 

 binum," using Columba as a name for some of them, for 

 others (Enas, Palumbus, and Turtur. It is more logical for 

 binomialists to discard Brisson's nomenclature altogether ! 



