1911 Recent Literature. 49o 



For these reasons and because Professor Whitman's work became more 

 illuminating as he went on, his family and friends feel that the opportunities 

 so untimely left should be extended to others who wish them. Quarters 

 are also given in the residence alongside the nearly one thousand birds, 

 and Dr. Riddle, now at work with them, will cooperate with the work of 

 others, or assist, or direct, as needed. 



The library, which is one of the largest and most complete of biological 

 libraries, is held open for constant use. The volumes are very extensively 

 marked; pencil notes often bringing together from all quarters the various 

 facts bearing on the subject under discussion. — Science, X. S., Vol. XXXIV, 

 No. 866, pp. 145. 146. August 4, 1911. 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Mathews's Proposed Changes in the Nomenclature of Birds. — 



Mr. G. M. Mathews has recently undertaken a revision of the nomen- 

 clature 1 of his ' Handlist of the Birds of Australia,' issued in January, 1908. 

 The changes here proposed affect a large number of genera and a con- 

 siderable number of species, the former including in many instances wide- 

 ranging groups. In the same connection he also discusses incidentally 

 a number of genera that are not Australian. His inquiry has thus a wide 

 scope, and is prosecuted in the hope of increasing stability in nomenclature. 

 He says (Emu, I. c, p. 317) : " I have recognized that the only means of 

 attaining finality in the nomenclature is the acceptance of the laws formu- 

 lated by the International Congress of Zoologists." In the 'Handlist' 

 he followed Sharpe's ' Handlist of the Genera and Species of Birds,' and 

 thus took the Xllth instead of the Xth edition of Linne's ' Systema 

 Naturae ' as the " commencing point of binomial nomenclature." Many 

 of his present " alterations " are due to this change. Others are due to 

 his rejection of all generic names founded by non-binomial authors, 

 including upward of forty proposed by Brisson. He gives as one of his 

 "general rules": " Non-binomial authors have been ignored." Among 



1 On Some Necessary Alterations in the Nomenclature of Birds, By Gregory 

 M. Mathews. I. Novitates Zoologicse, Vol. XVII, Dec, 1910, pp. 492-503; 

 II. Ibid., Vol. XVIII, June, 1911, pp. 1-22. 



Alterations in the Nomenclature of 'Hand-list of the Birds of Australia,' By 

 Gregory M. Mathews, F. R. S. E., etc. The Emu, Vol. X, April, 1911, pp. 317- 

 326. 



Nomenclature of Australian Avifauna. By Gregory M. Mathews. The Emu, 

 Vol. XI, July, 1911, pp. 52-58. 



