34.2 Recent Ornithological Publications. 



3. Swiss. 



The first part of the second volume of the Swiss Ornithologi- 

 cal Society's 'Bulletin'* is entirely devoted to a French trans- 

 lation of Prof. Steenstrup's ' Contribution to the Natural History 

 of Alca impennis/ by means of which many of those persons who 

 have not been able to read this admirable paper, either in the 

 original Danish or in the German translation^ may become 

 acquainted with it. To this are added, by M. Victor Fatio, a 

 few words on the specimens of the skin and egg of the species 

 existing in Switzerland, and a list of those to be found in 

 Europe. The translation seems to be very accu^•ately done, and 

 M. Fatio's remarks on the Swiss specimens are of some value; 

 but the general list of European specimens is very defective, 

 only fifty-one skins being enumerated, while it is stated that 

 there are sixty eggs and six skeletons. However, those who 

 have made the attempt to reckon up the different specimens will 

 know that it is no easy matter to accomplish, mainly from the re- 

 luctance existing in some quarters to supply the necessary in- 

 formation — a reluctance eminently unworthy of those who call 

 themselves naturalists. We believe the number of skins exist- 

 ing does not fall far short of seventy, while there ai'e certainly 

 more eggs and skeletons than is stated by M. Fatio. Still this 

 attempt will probably lead to others, and in a few years we shall 

 probably be in a position accurately to " take stock " of our 

 rarities. A chromolithograph, which, however, we cannot com- 

 mend, accompanies this publication ; and we hope the Society 

 may be induced to continue its labours, so as to furnish a com- 

 plete monograph of this interesting species. 



4. Italian. 



In the 'Atti della Societa Italiana di Scienze Naturali' (vol. x. 

 pp. 136-144) Count Oddo Arrigoni commences a History of 

 Ornithology, by giving a short account of Aristotle, Pliny, 



bearbeitet mit L. Brehm iind W. P^ssler. Supplement. Leipzig un 

 Iserlobn. (London, Williams and Norgate.) Folio, pp. 16. 



* Bulletin de la Societe Ornithologique Suisse. Tome ii. l''^ partie. 

 Geneve et Paris : 1868. (London, Williams and Norgate.) 



