TRANSACTIONS OF THE SECTIONS. 101 



excellent essay published by Lord Walden in the ' Transactions ' of the Zoological 

 Society, upon' the Birds of the Philippines (37). Although based upon the collec- 

 tions of Dr. A. B. Meyer, this memoir contains a r(5sume of all that is yet known 

 upon the subject. It likewise points out the deficiencies in our present information, 

 which, I need hardly add, are many and numerous. 



That our knowledge of the Mammal-faima of the Philippines is also by no means 

 perfect, will be sufficiently manifest when I recall to my hearers the fact that there 

 is now breeding in the Zoological Society's Gardens a very distinct species of Deer *, 

 quite unknown to all our Museums, which is undoubtedly endemic in one of the 

 Philippine Islands. There is much want of more information on this subject, as 

 also on the Reptiles and Fishes, although Dr. Peters has lately made us acquainted 

 with many novelties from Jagor's researches in these branches (38-40). 



IV. THE NEAROTIC REGION. 

 This part of my subject will be most conveniently treated of under two heads — 



1. NoHh America doum to Mexico, 



2. Greenland, — 



leaviJig Mexico to be spoken of as a whole under the Neotropical Region, although 

 part of it undoubtedly belongs to the Nearctic. 



1. North America. 



a. Mammals. — The latest revision of the Mammals of North America is still that 

 of Prof. Baird, contained in the Reports on the Zoology of the Pacific-Railway 

 routes, published by the War Department of the U. S. in 1857 (1). I understand, 

 however, that Dr. Elliott Coues is now engaged on a more perfect work, which will 

 embrace the results of the large additions since made to our knowledge of this subj ect. 

 The marine Mammals are not included in Prof. Baird's revision ; and under this 

 head I may notice two important works recently issued : — Dr. Allen's memoir on 

 the Eared Seals (2), which specially treats of the North-Pacific species; and Capt. 

 Scammon's volume on the marine Mammals of the North-western coasts of North 

 America (3), which contains a mass of information relative to the little-known 

 Cetaceans of the North Pacific. On the Bats of North America Dr. Allen has pub- 

 lished a special essay in the 'Smithsonian Miscellaneous Collections' for 18G4 (4). 



Prior to the issue of these works Audubon and Bachman's ' Quadrupeds of North 

 America ' (5), published at New York in 1852, was the best book of reference. 



b. Birds of North America. — The American Ornithologists have been specially 

 active of late years. Up to about 20 years ago, the recognized authorities upon 

 the Birds of the United States were Wilson (6), Aiidubon (7), Bonaparte (8), 

 and Nuttall (9). In 1850 Cassin's ' Illustrations ' (10), chiefly devoted to the species 

 then recently discovered in Texas, California, and Oregon, appeared. In 1858 the 

 joint work of Messrs. Baird, Cassin, and Lawrence, on the Birds of North America 

 (11), forming part of the ' Pacific-Railway Routes,' was issued. This was repub- 

 lished with additions as a separate work in 1860 (12) in two volumes, and still 

 forms an excellent book of reference on American Birds. The List of autho- 

 rities given at the end of the letterpress will be found extremely useful for those 

 who require a guide to the literature of American Ornithologj'. But even this bids 

 fair to be superseded by the more recent publications of our energetic fellow natu- 

 ralists. In the first place, three volumes of a ' History of North-American Birds,' 

 illustrated by plates and numerous woodcuts, by Messrs. Baird, Brewer, and Ridg- 

 way (13), were issued last year ; and two more volumes to complete the work will 

 soon be ready. Then for those who require a handy book for reference nothing can 

 be more convenient than Dr. Coues's 'Key' (14), in one vohime, published in 

 1872. The same energetic naturalist has also lately issued a Handbook of the 

 Ornithology of the North-west (15), containing an account of the birds met with 

 in the region drained by the Missouri and its tributaries, amongst which he has had 

 such long personal experience. Nor must I conclude the list without mentioning 



* Cervus alfredi, Sclater, P. Z. S. 1«70, p. 381, pi. xxviii. 



