268 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



of arrangement is reversed ; the Passeres are placed at the 

 end of the list and the Pygopodes at the beginning. We 

 are unable to see any advantage in this alteration^ which is 

 contrary to the usual practice of ornithologists^ though often 

 employed in general systematic works on zoology, in cases 

 when it is desirable to consider the lower and more simple 

 organisms first. It is, of course, just as correct to commence 

 one way as the other ; but " priority," so much worshipped 

 nowadays, is decidedly in favour of beginning " at the top.^^ 

 One point there is in the American code of nomenclature 

 which, if insisted on, will always keep it apart from the rest 

 of the world, i. e. the maintenance of the grammatical — and, 

 may be, accidental — errors made by the original proposers 

 of names. We cannot understand how any educated person 

 can agree to sacrifice grammar to the demon of priority. 

 We are glad to observe that the new German rules of nomen- 

 clature take quite the opposite view on this subject. 



39. Dresser's Supplement to the ' Birds of Europe.' 



[A History of the Birds of Europe, including all the Species inhabiting 

 the Western Palsearctic Region. — Supplement. By H. E. Dresser, 

 F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c. Part IH. May 1895 ; Part IV. August 1895 -, Part V. 

 October 1895. 4to. London, 1895.] 



Since our last notice of this handsome work {' Ibis,^ 1895, 

 p. 392) four more parts have appeared, with illustrations by 

 Mr. Keulemans of the following species : — 



Part III. Phylloscojms viridanus, P. nitidus ; Acredula macedonica, 

 A, caucasica ; Parus atricej^s, P. bokharensis, P. Cypriotes, 

 P. pleskei, P. j)al7nensis, P. teneriffce, P. ombriosus; Sitta 

 whiteheadi; Motacilla per sonata ; Anthus similis. 



Part IV. Motacilla xanthophrys ; Lanius grimmi, L. funereus, L. leu- 

 copterus, L. radii ; Carduelis caniceps ; Coccothraustes 

 carneipes ; Passer ammodendri ; Montifringilla nivalis, M. 

 alpicola ; Frinyilla pahna. 



Part V, Erythrosjnza obsoleta ; Bucanetesmongolicus ; Pyrrhula cassini ; 

 Uragus sibiricus ; Loxia rubrifasciata ; Emberiza luteolU) 

 E. huttoni, E. saharce, E. cioides ; Alauda gidgula. 



The letterpress of the first and second species figured ap- 

 peared in Part II. To the three forms of Acredula caudata 



