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NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 
Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum. Vol. X. The 
Passeriformes or Perching Birds. By R. BowpnEer Smarpe. 
8vo, pp. 682, with 12 coloured plates. London: printed by 
order of the Trustees. 1885. 
Tue publication of this important Catalogue proceeds 
steadily at the rate of a volume a year, ten having appeared 
since its commencement in 1874. With the exception of Vol. V., 
which was prepared by Mr. Seebohm, and Vols. VIII. and IX. by 
Dr. Gadow, all have been written by Mr. Sharpe, who must be 
congratulated on the energy which has enabled him in the midst 
of other official duties to execute so large a share of the general 
work. 
In Vol. X., now before us, 448 species are described, repre- 
sented by no less than 4590 specimens in the National collection. 
This portion of the general collection has received important 
additions by the amalgamation of the valuable private collec- 
tions of neotropical birds belonging to Messrs. Salvin and 
Godman, and Dr. Sclater, which, since the publication of Vol. X., 
have been presented to the Trustees of the British Museum, and 
which, so far as the present volume extends, have been incor- 
porated in the Catalogue; while numerous valuable North 
American birds have been added through the co-operation 
of Professor Buird on behalf of the United States National 
Museum. 
As regards the Old World species the British Museum collec- 
tion would seem to be tolerably complete; and many of the 
migratory species are represented by long series of specimens 
satisfactorily illustrating their geographical distribution. 
Mr. Sharpe tells us in his Introduction that in working out 
his descriptions of the changes of plumage which a great many 
species undergo, he has not relied solely on the series in the 
British Museum, but has examined numerous specimens in 
several private collections. The various changes of plumage 
which the Wagtails, for example, undergo, are extremely 
puzzling, even when a large series is available for examination; ~ 
and looking at the nicely executed coloured figures of the heads 
