REVIEWS AND BOOK NOTICES. 479 
and over two hundred figures illustrating the head as well as the 
feet and occasionally other parts, add greatly to the value of the 
work. The higher groups are also quite fully characterized, and in 
connection with their diagnoses much general matter of interest 
is presented. Although the work is not to any great extent 
biographical, the leading traits of the various groups and of 
most species are tersely presented, and the geographical dis- 
considerable reduction in the number of species that have hitherto 
been generally accepted, assigning a few to the list of synonymes, 
but by far the greater part of the reduction results from a judi- 
cious discrimination between species and geographical varieties, 
—a reform urgently demanded by the advance of science. By 
this means the rank and relationship of the different forms de- 
scribed is clearly expressed. 
Another important feature of the work will be a synopsis of the 
fossil birds of North America, which will furnish the student with 
the first connected presentation of the subject that has been made, 
embracing a summary of the different disconnected descriptions 
of our fossil birds, which at present are to be found only in the 
original memoirs scattered through the proceedings and transac- 
tions of scientific societies. 
The typographical appearance of the work is all that can be 
desired, and would be a credit to any publishing house. It is 
Printed on toned paper, and illustrated by six steel plates and 
about two hundred and fifty woodcuts. 
It 3 unquestionably destined to rank, as a text-book of North 
PEN rnithology, as a work of equal importance, in its own 
Province, with « Gray’s Manual of Botany” and Packarg’s “ Guide 
D the Study of Insects,” in their respective fields, thus forming to 
-< mexperienced student an invaluable guide, and a convenient 
= of reference to those more advanced ; while its moderate cost 
Places at Within the reach of all. While its limits prevent a com- 
Plete citation of previous authors, all our general works are cited, 
, ng the older works of Wilson, Nuttall and Audubon, and 
oa S elaborate and indispensable general works, and numerous 
k The Papers in the publications of scientific societies. 
Sepsis North America. By Prof. Spencer F. Baird, with the coöperation of 
rewer and Mr. Robert Ridgway. Little, Brown, and Co., n. 1872. 
