Vol. xiv.] 2 



As regards the Palsearctic Region, in which we are all 

 specially interested, the great event of the past year is, of 

 course, the publication of Mr. Dresser's long-promised 

 "Manual" of its birds. On this very useful piece of work, 

 in conjunction with my co-Editor, I have recorded a verdict 

 of approval in the pages of 'The Ibis/ and I need not now 

 do more than say a few words to confirm it. As most 

 of us are engaged in work upon European and North- 

 Asiatic birds, it will be a great convenience to have so 

 large an amount of information on this subject compressed 

 into so small a compass. I have heard it objected to 

 Mr. Dresser's mode of treatment that he has not paid 

 sufficient attention to the " subspecies." While I agree 

 that it would be advisable to mention all the proposed 

 " subspecies " under the head of each species, I think 

 Mr. Dresser has acted wisely in restricting the number of 

 subspecies adopted in his work within narrow limits. Some 

 of our younger brethren, both in Europe and America, are, 

 in my opinion, disposed to augment the number of sub- 

 species rather unduly, and I am glad to see that Mr. Dresser 

 has not followed their example. Mr. Dresser has also been 

 sparing in the use of generic terms, in which practice I 

 likewise agree with him. I consider that the great number 

 of generic names employed by some modern writers, and 

 often based on very slight characters, causes a grievous tax 

 on the memory, and often tends to sejaarate too far what 

 are manifestly nearly allied species. Botanists, who take a 

 wider view of genera than most zoologists, are not afraid in 

 certain cases to place nearly a thousand species in the same 

 genus. 



For an instance of a carefully planned expedition in the 

 Palsearctic Region and a well-executed account of its results, 

 I venture to call attention to Mr. Harry F. Witherby's 

 foray into South-west Persia, as recorded in the last number 

 of 'The Ibis/ Although no new species were discovered, 

 a large number of excellent field-notes were made upon birds 

 little known in Europe, and our knowledge of the Persian 

 Ornis was much extended. I am pleased to be able to state 



