iS9i.j Recent LUeratiire. 21*1 



during a second stay of fifteen months at Ivigtiit. The accounts of tlie 

 breeding and habits of the birds contain much that is interesting, and 

 some remarkable facts are brought out in regard to the migratory move- 

 ments of certain species; considerable attention too is given to the 

 changes of plumage of several of the species. There are unfortunately 

 a few cases in which Mr. Ilagerup seems to have neglected his opportu- 

 nity of settling the status of some doubtful forms by the reference of large 

 series to some high authority for determination. 



The second part, a 'Catalogue of the birds of Greenland,' "comprises all 

 the birds discovered up to date in that part of western Greenland which 

 is settled by the Danes; namely, the country lying south of 73"^ N. lat." 

 It "is based on the works of HolboU, Reinhardt, Alfred Newton, Ludwig 

 Kumlien, and others; use has also been made of the late Alfred Benzon's 

 collection of bird-skins and eggs," which has supplied much material es- 

 pecially in regard to times of breeding; and Mr. Hagerup's own expe- 

 rience has furnished its quota. The annotations are as a rule quite brief. 

 "Of the 139 species here enumerated one {^Planfiis tmpeHniii\ is extinct 

 and 53 are merely accidental stragglers, while 24 others are so rare that 

 they might be classed with the accidentals, leaving but 61 species that 

 should be recognized as regular inhabitants of Greenland; and of these 

 several are of quite uncommon occurrence. (M. C.)." Of the smaller land 

 birds a majority are North American species entered as "chance visitors." 

 The Catalogue is greatly benefitted by Mr. Chamberlain's critical notes 

 though he has used his editorial privilege almost too sparingly. Ex- 

 plorers of Greenland, and indeed all who are interested in the fauna of 

 this or other boreal regions, will find this work a most useful hand-hook. 

 — C. F. B. 



Nicholson's Translation of Sundevall's 'Tentamen.'* — Mr. Nicholson 

 has done good service in placing within the reach of English speaking 

 ornithologists Sundevall's celebrated essa}' on the classification of birds, 

 originally published in Latin in 1S72. For a time, and in certain cpiar- 

 ters, Sundevall's system met with much flavor, though in many respects 

 arbitrary and artificial; yet at many points it was an advance upon what 

 had been done before. The essay opens with a preface, in which he ex- 

 plains the basis of his work as regards material examined, and makes 

 several pertinent strictuj-es upon the practices of some of his predeces- 

 sors in respect to imperfect citation of names and references to localities 

 whence specimens are derived. This is followed by the 'Introduction,' 

 giving 'Remarks on the Development of the Ornithological System' (pp. 

 i-ii); 'On the Notion of Affinity as a Principle of Natural Systems' (pp. 

 12-20) ; 'Concerning the Object of Systems in Natural History and the 

 Properties involved in them' (pp. 21-25) ! 'Remarks on the Ornithological 



*Sundevairs | Tentamen. | [Methodi Naturalis Avium Disponendarum | Tenta- 

 men.] | Translated into English, | with Notes, | By Francis .Nicholson, F. Z. S., | 

 Member of the British Ornithologists' Union, | Corresponding Member of the Amer- 

 ican Ornithologists' Union. | London: | R. H. Porter, | iSPiinces Street, Cavendish 

 Square, VV. | 1889. — 8vo. pp. xiii, 316, with frontispiece (portrait of Sundevall). 



