416 Reviews — B. B. Woodward's Library Catalogue. 



1880-1883, it became necessary to form a new library for their 

 requirements, and a special vote was obtained from Parliament for 

 this purpose. The Departmental libraries were retained and added to, 

 while a ' General Library ' was formed to receive such books whose 

 subject-matter concerned more than one of the special Departments. 

 By this means much needless duplication was avoided. Accessions 

 are constantly being made by purchase, donation, or exchange, and 

 though there are still some ' desiderata,' it is not too much to say 

 that this collection of works on Natural History is one of the finest 

 and most complete ever brought together. This is especially the 

 case with serial publications and works issued by Academies, in 

 many of which the wrappers have been preserved, that are so 

 important and valuable in these days of contested priority in 

 nomenclature. 



In 1881 Mr. B. B. Woodward was transferred from the Printed 

 Books Department to South Kensington, and placed in charge of the 

 new General Library then being formed, while he subsequently had 

 general charge of the cataloguing of all the collections of books in 

 the building. It is to his careful and exact knowledge of books and 

 special knowledge of the requirements of workers in Zoology and 

 Geology, that we owe many of the literary treasures in the British. 

 Museum (Natural History). Working at first alone, and in later 

 years with the intelligent assistance of his attendant Mr. Charles 

 Leigh and afterwards of Mr. C. Hadrill, and a clerical assistant, he 

 has catalogued this grand collection of scientific books from a biblio- 

 graphical standpoint, and the present volume (the first of four) is 

 the fruit of his labours. 



Since the whole of the manuscript is almost finished, we may 

 hope in a very few years to have the complete work before us, and 

 when using it daily shall be able to form some slight idea of the 

 thought and labour bestowed upon its production. Constant use 

 both of the MS. and of the proofs for many years, allows the writer 

 to state that it is undoubtedly the most complete and exact catalogue 

 of scientific publications (other than separata) ever printed. 



Each entry in the catalogue is complete in itself, thus allowing it 

 to be cut up for a card catalogue, a system of course in vogue at 

 the Natural History Museum. 



The entries are arranged under the names of the authors, but 

 should no author's name appear, the work is entered under the 

 principal word of the title, preference being given to such as most 

 clearly defines the contents. 



Societies and Corporate Bodies are considered to be the authors of 

 their publications, and are entered — (a) English, Colonial, and 

 American Societies, with such others as are not local, directly under 

 their proper name ; (6) all others under the name of the place in 

 which their headquarters are situate. 



Official accounts of Surveys and Explorations undertaken by any 

 Government are placed under the name of the country issuing them. 



Magazines and Journals of a similar character are entered under 

 the first words of the title, omitting articles. 



