NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 2293 
attempts which have been made to construct a code of rules for 
zoological nomenclature, with a special examination of the 
Stricklandian code of 1842. II. Principles, Canons, and 
Recommendations (pp. 18-69), which deserve a more careful 
perusal and consideration than we have yet had time to bestow 
before we can venture upon criticism. III. A Check List of 
North American Birds (pp. 71-347), giving the Scientific and 
English names, with a brief synonymy and habitat, of 768 
species. IV. A ‘“ Hypothetical List” (pp. 349-357), consisting 
of species which have been recorded as North American, but 
whose status as North American birds is doubtful, either from 
lack of positive evidence of their occurrence within the prescribed 
limits of the present Check List, or from absence of satisfactory 
proof of their validity as species; and V. A list of the Fossil 
Birds of North America, systematically arranged with the genera 
in alphabetical order, references to original descriptions, and 
an indication of the localities where found. 
This makes a very complete and extremely useful volume ; 
but at the same time it is not without its defects, as, indeed, 
what book is ? 
We venture to think that the moth on the title-page must 
have been invented after the book was completed. If “ Zoological 
Nomenclature be a means, not an end, of Zoological Science,” 
surely it would have been wiser to have made the new code 
approach the old one wherever practicable instead of diverging 
as much as possible from it at every opportunity. To con- 
servatives like ourselves it looks as if change for the sake of 
change had played too conspicuous a part in the decision of 
the Committee. We must, however, give the authors of the 
new list the credit of having the courage of their opinions. 
No devotee of the Stricklandian Code has ever ventured to carry 
it out to the letter, though more than one British ornithologist 
has professed to do so. The writers who have attempted to 
make all the change demanded by the code in question have 
brought upon themselves such a storm of protest from their 
ornithological opponents that they have been for the most part 
glad enough to repudiate the result of their youthful zeal. 
As examples of change for the sake of change, we beg to 
submit the following instances for the recommendation of our 
friends in America. 
