Recent Ornithological Publications. 325 
capenses, eerie, non in Africa Meridionali, a Le V. peragratd , 
invent a, etsi eas auctor, veritatem parum curans } asseverat seip- 
sum invenisse, adjecta plerumque historiold de vita ratione f de 
capturd, et cet.” Finally, there are 71 birds which the author 
himself admits to be of extraneous origin. Among the 284 
species, 13 are certainly “ aves arte facta” —made-up species, 
and 9 others, according to Prof. Sundevall, are to be suspected 
as of like origin. 
4. American Publications. 
In the First Number of ( The Ibis 5 we mentioned the arrival 
in this country of copies of an important accession to Zoological 
literature—the second edition of the f Mammalogy and Ornitho¬ 
logy of the United States Exploring Expedition during the years 
1838-42, under the command of Charles Wilkes, U.S.N/ The 
work consists of a quarto volume of 466 pages, accompanied by 
a folio atlas of plates. The letterpress is from the pen of Mr. 
John Cassin, of the Academy of Sciences of Philadelphia, a 
gentleman who, from his excellent knowledge of general ornitho¬ 
logy, and his position as one of a learned body which has in its 
custody probably the largest and most perfect ornithological col¬ 
lection in the world, was above all persons qualified to undertake 
the task of naming and determining the specimens of the large 
series of birds* amassed by the Expedition; and this task, as we 
think it will be generally acknowledged, he has performed with 
singular ability and success. The plates, being drawn on steel, 
have not the lifelike appearance of the productions of some of our 
recent European artists, but are generally highly creditable to the 
executor, and sufficiently accurate for the determination of 
species. 
Having said so much, we hope to be permitted to comment 
upon one or two points which, as we turn over the leaves of Mr. 
Cassin’s volume, seem to require notice, without rendering our¬ 
selves liable to the charge of unduly severe criticism. In the 
first place, we think something ought to have been said in the 
preface about the extraordinary circumstances which attended 
* The Appendix gives a list of no less than 748 species, collected during 
the expedition. See p.429. 
VOL. I. Z 
