~ 
550 REVIEWS AND BOOK NOTICES. 
Of the “ Nomenclator” we shall have nothing to say untilitis 
finished, beyond the remark that this is of the nature of a diction- 
ary, in which the genera are arranged alphabetically, those that Dr. 
Giebel considers synonymous being referred to what he considers i 
to be a tenable name, the others being typographically distin- z 
guished ; under the former being’ ranged alphabetically the species 
originally described by such name, under the latter those thatthe 
author regards as valid, each with its synonymy and geographical 
distribution. The “ Repertorium” undertakes to be an index of 
ornithological literature from the earliest times to date. Probably 
those who are not specialists hardly realize what a mass of litera- 
ture exists in every department of ‘knowledge. Ornithology is one 
of the more circumscribed studies, hardly impinging on general 
affairs outside its agricultural and venatorial points of contact; 
yet its literature is, it seems, too voluminous to have ever been 
thoroughly digested. In the present work, we estimate that some 
seven thousand works and papers, relating wholly or in part to 
birds, are collated by title. Of just what this implies in the way of 
work, probably no one but the author himself has a very acute pe 
ception. That the list is a perfect index is not to be expected, and 
probably is not claimed ; we could supply a number of titles our- 
selves, and of course better informed ornithologists could add e 
more ; but it is certainly the nearest approach to a complete pete ; 
logue extant. The great trouble is, that the author has i . 
ously, ingeniously and successfully hidden away the indiv 
titles by a remarkable system of enumerating them. a m 
arranged alphabetically according to authors’ names, but peace 
thirty-three separate headings. We cannot stop to emin 
these, but ifour reader will try to think up as many differen rei r 
tion, and not the rule, that any given paper falls hat so fat 
under one of Dr. Giebel’s headings ; and the result is, that ©" 
out its salient features, if it has any ; and though wee 
we are glad to see, a happy knack in this regard, yet t $ 
reverse is too often the case; and besides this, the 2 
