460 Bibliographical Notices. 



favourite an ornithological draughtsman. The subjects are judi- 

 ciously selected from characteristic or peculiar species. 



Mr. Harting's last contribution* brings us nearer home; and 

 though he offers a quasi apology for adding another to the already 

 extant works on British Birds, we think none was needed ; and we 

 doubt not the present volume will be accepted as a useful addition 

 to the ornithological literature of the British Islands. 



In the first portion Mr, Harting comes forward as a reformer of 

 nomenclature, and, to some extent, of arrangement, taking Yarrell's 

 third edition as his starting-point. On both subjects he still leaves 

 room for justifiable improvement. As regards nomenclature, the 

 three rules he specifies as his guide by no means attempt to solve 

 several intricate questions — such, for instance, as the best generic 

 name available for the Nightingale. He uses Luscinia ; but we 

 think Daidias of Boie, on the whole, far preferable. Then, too, why 

 should Linnseus's name in connexion with the Stilt entirely disappear ? 

 There are other cases we might mention. Mr. Harting states that 

 he has avoided the use of subgeneric names ; yet he does not hesitate 

 to place the Titlarks under a family name, Anthidce, as distinct from 

 the Wagtails, MotaciUidce, and to banish the Rock from the true 

 Thrushes under the name Petrocinclldce. We are at a loss to know, 

 and Mr. Harting makes no attem])t to show us, how the adoption of 

 these family names can be justified by the production of definite 

 characters of sufiicient value to show their distinctness. 



The alterations in arrangement are so far advantageous ; but a 

 little more might have been done in this direction without doing much 

 violence to the feelings of British ornithologists. We point especially 

 to the retention of the Hirundinida' in juxtaposition with the Swifts. 

 Those whose studies are bestowed on exotic species are considerably 

 in advance of their fellow students whose attention is confined to the 

 birds of these islands in such matters ; and with them there are 

 questions of affinities which have passed out of the region of doubt 

 which are clung to by our home naturaUsts with, we might say, 

 almost obstinate tenacity. What is required of our workers at home 

 is a more independent spirit, a thorough investigation of bird-struc- 

 ture, and, what has never been the case, a keener appreciation of the 

 work that is going on around them, much of which affects the special 

 sphere to which they may confine their attention. 



The second portion of Mr. Harting's work has the merit of greater 

 completeness ; and in gathering together all the records of the ap- 

 pearance of occasional visitants to our shores, he has provided 

 workers over the same ground with a ready index to facilitate their 

 labours. The records thus gathered show a goodly list of instances 

 where members of the same species have over and over again wan- 



* 'A Handbook of British Birds, showing the Distribution of the Resi- 

 dent and Migratory Species in the British Islands, with an Index to the 

 records of the Rarer Visitants.' By J. E. Harting, F.L.S., F.Z.S., Member 

 of the British Ornithologists' Union, &c. &c. London : 1872. Large 8vo, 

 pp. 198. (Van Voorst.) 



