184 Recent Liter at ure. 



Herodiones of authors, with the atldition of the] Flamingoes (Phtxnicoptcri- 

 dce). He discusses at some length the affinities of this group, but we fail 

 to be convinced of the propriety of its removal from the Anserine series, 

 where of late it has been pretty generally placed, to its present associa- 

 tion. In his introductory remarks Dr. Reichenow discusses the object of 

 classification, the questions of " subspecies " and " varieties," and rules of 

 nomenclature. He adopts the tenth edition (1758) of the " Systema Na- 

 turae " as the starting-point of binomial nomenclature in zoology, and ac- 

 cepts, very properly, no specific names of an earlier date, while the first 

 edition (1735) of the same work is taken as the earliest point of departure 

 for generic nomenclature. He also throws over all " barbarous " names, 

 whether specific or generic, all names of erroneous signification, and all 

 classical names improperly constructed. Under these restrictions many 

 long-established and familiar designations fall, to be replaced by the next 

 (in Dr. Reichenow's view) unobjectionable name. In default of any such 

 our author proceeds to supply the deficiency. In this way, to cite a few 

 examples, Platalea ajaja becomes P. rosea ; Ciconia maguari becomes C. 

 dicnira, Reichenow ; Ardea herodias becomes A. lessorii, etc. ; the generic 

 name (subgeneric in Reichenow's system) Grosarchius is replaced by Butio, 

 Reichenow, Zebrilus by Microcnus, Reichenow, Agamia by Doryphonis, 

 Reichenow (a name essentially preoccupied in entomology by Boryphora), 

 Garzetta and Egretta by Erodius, etc., the earlier names being in each case 

 supplanted because " barbarous." The specific names major, fuscus, purpu- 

 reus, etc., when erroneous in signification, are replaced by later ones. 

 These are innovations which we think stand small chance of general ac- 

 ceptation, and admit of no adequate defence, however advisable it may be 

 to discard the practice of adding such names in future. 



After discussing at some length the characters and classification of the 

 order " Gressores," the author passes to a synopsis of the group, giving 

 briefly the characters of the families, genera, and subgenera, short Latin 

 diagnoses of the species, and the more important synonyms. Under the 

 head of each family are general remarks upon the number of species, their 

 distribution and habits. The whole number of species recognized is one 

 hundred and twenty-three, with, in addition, quite a number of " sub- 

 species" and "varieties." These are arranged in six families {" Ibidw," 

 twenty-seven species ; Ciconiidw, nineteen species ; Ph(xnicopterid<r., five 

 species ; Scopidce and BalmiicipidcB, each one species ; Ardeid(B, sixty- 

 seven species), fourteen genera, and twenty-two subgenera. 



In respect to the matter of genera, Dr. Reichenow displays extreme con- 

 servatism, his genera having in most instances a value most writers regard 

 as supergeneric. His subgenera even are more comprehensive than are 

 the genera of the ultra-divisionists, but in the main are such groups as 

 we should consider as properly constituted genera. The contrast in 

 respect to genera is rarely greater, among contemporary writers working 

 in the same field, than is that presented by Dr. Reichenow on the one 



