Abstract
AS the editors of The Ibis have already remarked in their preface to the volume for the present year, one of the leading ornithological events of 1898 is the completion of the “Catalogue of Birds.” The twenty-sixth volume of this work, prepared by Dr. Bowdler Sharpe and Mr. Ogilvie Grant, the only one required to finish the series, will, I am assured, be laid before the Trustees at their next meeting, and be ready for issue very shortly afterwards. Thus, after a period of twenty-five years, this most important piece of ornithological work has been brought to a conclusion. No human product is perfect, and the Catalogue has been, and will be, the subject of many criticisms. One obvious defect in it is its want of uniformity, the various authors having been permitted, owing to the wise discretion of the authorities, very liberal opportunities for the expression of their own views in their respective portions, although a general adherence to one plan has been rightly insisted upon. But when the enormous amount of labour required for this work, and the absolute necessity of employing mere than one author upon such a huge task are considered, it will be obvious that greater uniformity was practically unattainable. In the case of the “Catalogue of Reptiles and Batrachians,” where the series of specimens and species was not so large, the herpetologists are fortunate in having had the whole of the work performed upon a uniform system by the indefatigable energy of a single naturalist.
Article PDF
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Recent Progress in Ornithology1. Nature 59, 159–160 (1898). https://doi.org/10.1038/059159a0
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/059159a0