NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 21 \i 



systematists as affording distinguishing characters of much 

 value. But an object may be described as of one colour by 

 one person, and be taken by another person for quite a different 

 tint ; for the names of colours are frequently misapplied, and 

 one name is often indisciiminately given to many colours. 

 Hence arises an uncertainty in reading and a perplexity in 

 writing a description which would be obviated were some 

 standard of nomenclature available for general reference. 



" So long ago as 1831 there appeared a manual the utility of 

 which seems to have been quite lost sight of, owing, perhaps, 

 chiefly to the fact that it has long been out of print and difficult 

 to procure, namely, Werner's ' Nomenclature of Colours,' edited 

 by Syme." 



This work, excellent in principle, was designed to meet the 

 very want which he now ventured to express, but which was 

 hardly experienced at the date of its publication, inasmuch as it 

 was not then the general practice to publish the careful and 

 detailed descriptions of species with which we are now familiar. 



Assuming the want of such a standard nomenclature, and the 

 desirability of satisfying it, the writer was of opinion that the 

 publication of a new edition of Werner's Manual, under the 

 auspices of the Zoological Society, would ensure a speedy adop- 

 tion of the standard, and would be the means of obviating in 

 future the confusion hitherto prevailing for want of it. 



The suggestion having been taken up by Mr. Ridgwaj', and 

 carefully considered, has resulted in the publication of the 

 volume now before us. It is not a new edition of Werner's 

 Manual, however, but an entirely original work, divided into two 

 parts, and covering a much larger field than that traversed by 

 Werner. 



Part I., on the Nomenclature of Colours, contains remarks on 

 the principles of colour ; on colours required by the zoological 

 or botanical artist ; and includes a comparative vocabulary of 

 colours, in seven languages ; and a bibliography containing the 

 titles of seven works only, the subject being one on which it 

 would seem that very little has been published. 



Part II., entitled the "Ornithologist's Compendium," includes 

 a glossary of technical terms, and tables for converting milli- 

 metres into English inches and decimals, and vice versa. Seven- 

 teen plates show the various shades (which are named) of all the 



