48 REVIEWS — A MONOGRAPH OF THE TROCHILIDAE. 



whom we have often conversed on the characters and peculiarities of 

 this most interesting family, which few have ever studied as he did — 

 and had we not considered that the fine library of our Parliament, 

 which is wisely and liberally made accessible to all who desire to 

 consult it, contains copies of all Mr. Gould's works which are now 

 attainable ; whilst the truly beautiful one of which we propose more 

 particularly to speak, has been also placed in the library of the Cana- 

 dian Institute by one of our fellow citizens, whose liberality and 

 discriminating taste in scieDce and art dignify and adorn the high 

 position which fortune and personal qualities have secured to him. 

 "We need scarcely name the Hon. G-eo, "W". Allan, to whom the 

 Canadian Institute is also in other ways deeply indebted. 



The Humming birds long continued to form only a single genus, 

 and when the increasing numbers that from year to year were made 

 known suggested the expediency of subdivision, still for a time only 

 subgenera were proposed, or at least genera were created Avith great 

 caution. Mr. G-eorge Grray was led by his plan to devise the forma- 

 tion of sub-families, and accounting the old genus Trochilus as 

 equivalent to his family Teochilidae, he has enumerated three 

 sub-families GrypMnae, or Wedge-tails, Trochilinae, or curve-bills, and 

 Mellisuffinae, or Straight-bills. Under each family are several genera, 

 yet he did not altogether exceed ten, a number which, considering 

 the many species now known, seems very moderate. It must be 

 confessed, however, that his genera have not always a natural aspect, 

 great differences of form being included in the same genus, so that 

 those who had consented to the genera sanctioned by him would be 

 well prepared to listen to the proposals of ornithologists of eminence 

 both on the continent of Europe and in England for yet further 

 sub-division. Prince Bonaparte introduced various genera, and it 

 was well known that Mr. Loddiges, though his great diffidence, and 

 his desire of increasing his knowledge before he gave a decided 

 opinion, had prevented his publishing his views, was prepared to 

 recommend additional ones, and had adopted certain principles res- 

 pecting the characters proper to be employed. "With these materials 

 before him, and having in his hands the finest collection yet formed, 

 Mr. Gould has possibly carried to an extreme the formation of gen- 

 era. He does not indeed give his readers the means of forming a 

 correct judgment, since his beautiful figures, though accompanied by 

 copious synonymes and a useful description, are without generic and 



