SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



55 



A Handbook of the Birds of Great Britain. By 

 R. Bowdler Sharpe, LL.D. Vol. iv., 332 pp. 

 Svo. illustrated by 35 coloured plates and plain 

 figures in letterpress. (London : Allen and Co , 

 Limited, 1S97. Allen's Naturalists' Library.) 

 Price 6s. 



This volume concludes Dr. Bowdler Sharpe's 

 work on the birds of Great Britain for "Allen's 

 Naturalists' Library." It contains terns, gulls, 

 skuas, auks, petrels, shearwaters, divers, grebes, 

 rails, coots, some others, and an Appendix with 

 Addenda to the preceding volumes. There is also 

 an important preface, in which the author defends 

 his views on nomenclature as exhibited in this 

 work. Our readers are by this time fully aware of 

 our views on this vexed question, viz., that it 



by them at the end of a field-da}', if placed side by 

 side of many a " working-man " naturalist, not 

 only in this country but also on the Continent. 

 This applies equally to " specimens " and to their 

 respective knowledge in connection with habits 

 and other facts, beyond " species " and nomen- 

 clature. Still, all this does not alter the fact that 

 a first-class " cabinet " naturalist may produce a 

 first-class and trustworthy book on his special 

 subject. This is shown in the present instance. 

 Dr. Bowdler Sharpe has given us one of our best 

 modern popular works on British birds. The 

 majority of his descriptions of plumage are original, 

 taken from the birds direct. The author has been 

 most careful on this point, which will be of great 

 value a few centuries hence for comparison. 



Pu Tor, Dartmoor, showing "WEATHERING" of Granitf.. 

 'From "A Ttxt-liook 0/ Geology," tublhhtd by Blackic and Son.) 



should be settled once for all, whatever system is 



1. In a case like this before us the subject 



is plain enough, because I >r. Sharpe clearly 



hat he means by giving synonyms with 



What we e of unfamiliar 



names without any synonym to indicate what species 



the ■<; er, as for in .tance in 



italogue <.f British Plants." We 



.'if- pleased that X >r Sbarpe lias followed the 



British iilly in avoiding 



names There Is mm h 



•1 the ami museum officials 



'aunt of Ix.-irur only •' cabinet " nature 



his ir.i oi ihoi e 



i'l work . Inn '.M- 1 otild 1 01, ii 



I belonging 10 the other side, 



natural! I would 



often be confused at the diflerenl results produced 



A Hand-book 0; the Order Lepidoptera. By W. F. 

 Kirbv, F.L.S., F.Ent.S. Vol v., Moths— Part iiii, 

 3.),| pp 8vo, illustrated by 32 coloured plates and 

 numerous plain figures in .letterpress. (London 

 Allen ami Co. Ltd., 1*07. Allen's Naturalists' 

 Library.) Price os 



Willi this volume Mr. Kirby has concluded his 

 admirable review ol the Lepidoptera. Wo can 

 fully appreciate his difficulty in accepting the work 

 for Messrs. Allen and Co., anil do not think he 

 could hive selected a better system ol treatmenl 



than 1 In- nun pari si m of tin- British butterflies and 



mollis with their foreign relatives Hl« altera 



ol the nomenclature) as we have said in i"i t 



notii ■ i, are swi eping . but, like thai ol 1 fr Shai pe, 

 in hit "Handbook ol ihe Birds ol Creal Britain," 

 referred to, II Is intelligible on ai 1 ouni ol 

 its excellent synonymy 



