GUAT E MALA.
[TO THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR."]
was surprised to read in your recent notice of Mr. and Mrs. Maudslay's new book on Guatemala (Spectator, March 24th) that the "Biologic Centrali-Americana" is an American publication, " hardly to be found in European libraries." Allow me to point out that it is a work published in London, owing its inception and continuation to the enter- prise and liberality of two Englishmen, Mr. F. Ducane Godman, and the late Mr. Osbert Salvin, assisted by a staff of specialists, the majority of whom are Englishmen. It is divided into three sections, of which the Botany, edited by Mr. W. B. Hensley, is complete in five volumes. The Archm- ology is not before me; but I believe that the whole or a part of four volumes by Mr. A. P. Mandalay, and an appendix by Mr. J. T. Goodman on the Archaic Maya Inscriptions, have now appeared. The most important part of the work is, however, the Zoology, of which one hundred and fifty-four guinea parts have already been issued ; although the editors originally imagined that the Zoology "world not much exceed sixty parts"; and very few of the sections of Zoology are yet completed. The book is perfectly well known to all specialists, at least by name, and notwithstanding its bulk and costliness, is to be found in all special libraries in Britain which are of sufficient importance, and can afford to subscribe to a work of such an extent. On the Continent, and even in America, of course, it is a very different matter, though even there, I imagine it will be found here and there in the most important libraries of the largest capitals, and
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