Recent Literature. 
177 . 
“ An undertaking of this sort is beset with formidable difficulties ; not 
otily is its extent enormous, and the works relating to the subject are 
widely scattered through many libraries, public and private ; but the 
qual fications of a good bibliographer are not easily to be found united in 
one person. His application and industry must be untiring, and he must 
be thoroughly conversant with the art of Bibliography. In addition to 
these requirements, in a case like the present, an equally thorough knowl- 
edge of the subject under consideration is indispensable. You happily 
combine all these qualifications ; your industry has long been approved, 
your knowledge of books is evident from what you have now put before 
us, your knowledge of Ornithology has long been known to us. We can 
well believe that the libraries of your own country are better stored than 
any others with works relating to the Ornithology of North America, and 
that therefore the ‘ List of Faunal Publications relating to North American 
Ornithology ’ could be nowhere better prepared than in Washington; but 
when the ornithological literature of the whole world has to be examined, 
it seems to us almost indispensable that the older libraries of Europe, and 
especially of England, France, Italy, Germany and Holland, should be 
consulted, if one of the chief merits of your work is to be maintained, viz : 
— the consultation at first hand by yourself of every work mentioned 
therein. 
‘‘This brings us to one of the chief objects of this memorial, which is to 
express our sincere hope that time and means will be found you to prose- 
cute in Europe the great undertaking you have commenced so well, and 
bring it to a successful conclusion. Should the . authorities who preside 
over the Department to which you belong — and especially the Surgeon- 
General of the United States Army — who have hitherto so liberally 
granted you facilities for the scientific work you have performed, be dis- 
posed to furnish you with these means of perfecting your undertaking, we 
are convinced that it will reflect great credit to them and the country to 
which you belong. We on our part, so far as England is concerned, are 
ready not only to welcome a brother Ornithologist, but also to render you 
every assistance in our power. 
“[Signed.] W. H. Flower, F.R.S . , fyc., President of llie Zoologi- 
cal Society of London. 
T. Ii. Huxley, Sec. R. S. 
Charles Darwin, F.R.S. 
St. Geo. IVIivart, F.R.S., Sec. L. S. 
Alfred R. Wallace. 
A. Guenther, F.R.S., Keeper of the Department of 
Zoology, British Museum. 
Philip Lutley Sclater, M.A., Ph. Dr., F.R.S., Sec- 
retary to the Zoological Society of London. 
Alfred Newton, F.R.S., V.P.Z.S. , Professor of Zo- 
ology in the University of Cambridge . 
12 
VOL. IV. 
