274 Recently published Ornithological Works. 
adequate description being made so as to convey to a reader 
a correct idea of the shades of colour and minute markings 
of these birds. Mr. Keulemans’s brush speaks with far more 
eloquence on this point, as the fourteen beautiful plates which 
accompany this volume show. 
The synonymy of each species is given in great detail, and 
appears to be very complete. We are glad to notice that in 
this volume Mr. Sharpe has succeeded in avoiding any start¬ 
ling changes of names of well-known species, and in this 
respect has not followed the precedent of his former one, a 
forbearance on his part on which we heartily congratulate 
him. 
Mr. Sharpe has a long task before him, which must neces¬ 
sarily occupy him many years, ere this Catalogue of Birds can 
be finished; but we do not doubt his energy to accomplish 
what he has undertaken. 
The American expedition to observe the transit of Venus 
in Kerguelen’s Island has been the means of producing an 
interesting paper on the ornithology of that inhospitable 
region from the pen of Dr. J. H. Kidder, the naturalist at¬ 
tached to the expedition. The book is edited by Dr. Coues, 
who named Dr. Kidder’s specimens and supplied the syn¬ 
onymy of the species observed*. 
This little work is very welcome, containing, as it does, 
the first connected account of the birds of Kerguelen’s Island, 
though some of its winged inhabitants have been known and 
recorded as long ago as the latter part of the last century. 
With the single exception of Chionis minor , all the species 
observed belong to marine or aquatic families, members of 
the Procellariidse forming the greater part of the whole 
number. In determining these Dr. Coues reopens a subject 
which occupied much of his attention some ten years ago 
* Contributions to the Natural History of Kerguelen Island, made in 
connection with the American Transit-of-Venus Expedition 1874-75. 
By J. H. Kidder, M.D., Passed Assistant-Surgeon U.S. Navy. I. Orni¬ 
thology, edited bv Dr. Elliot Coues, U.S.A. 8vo, pp. 47. Washington: 
1876. " 
