Notices of New Books. 6951 



assuredly we must long look in vain for one whose mind will be so 

 richly stored with Scandinavian Ornithology, which we had fondly 

 hoped would have proved both to the ' Zoologist ' and the ' Ibis ' an 

 inexhaustible mine for many years to come, but which will now we 

 fear in a great measure, if not altogether be lost. 



But to return to the " Ibis," and to peck at her with little reason 

 indeed, but in the snarling spirit in which critics are said to delight. 

 We have heard the question repeatedly asked, and we have never 

 heard a satisfactory answer, " Why the ' Ibis ' ? " and " What could 

 have induced British ornithologists to travel out of their way to Egypt 

 for a title, and to assume as their symbol the bird long ago sacred to 

 the worshippers of Isis, and whose name and figure at once and 

 involuntarily lead the mind far away from Britain to the banks of the 

 Nile ? " We confess that we share these murmurs of discontent, and 

 could have preferred the designation first suggested of "Aves" as more 

 appropriate and more descriptive of the book ; for though the quibble 

 is trifling, and it may be retorted " What's in a name ?" and " A rose 

 with any other name would smell as sweet," we own to a decided pre- 

 judice in favour of a good nomenclature, and vastly prefer the title 

 which carries its meaning on its face. 



With the next grievance which we have heard mentioned we have 

 no sympathy, and we repeat only to refute it ; for though some think 

 the price excessive, and the figure Qs. looks somewhat high on the 

 cover, especially when the double number (No. 4) was marked 125. 

 yet if we take into account the quantity of matter promised, viz., an 

 annual volume of about 400 pages, and above all the coloured plates, 

 to the number of at least twelve, we feel satisfied that subscribers of 

 £\ \s. have no right to find fault, for they receive to the full amount 

 of their subscription ; and for ourselves we would infinitely prefer a 

 few really good plates (and there are some admirable ones in the 

 volume before us) to any amount of ordinary ones, executed by less 

 able artists. This year at any rate we can have no room for complaint, 

 for the editor has more than kept faith with the public in giving 490 

 pages in lieu of 400, and 15 plates instead of 12. 

 • We would only suggest two cautions, and we have done ; the first, 

 that the ' Ibis ' be punctual in its periodical appearance, not deferring 

 its arrival on the appointed day for any consideration, symptoms of 

 which dilatory lagging we observed in No. 4 ; and again, that in 

 aiming at a high standard it avoid too prosaic and didactic a tone, 

 remembering that statistical facts may be dry and dull, and require 

 lubrication, a judicious mixture of the dulce and utile, as that great 



