Counting eigenvalues in domains of the complex field

A procedure for counting the number of eigenvalues of a matrix in a region surrounded by a closed curve is presented. It is based on the application of the residual theorem. The quadrature is performed by evaluating the principal argument of the logarithm of a function. A strategy is proposed for selecting a path length that insures that the same branch of the logarithm is followed during the integration. Numerical tests are reported for matrices obtained from conventional matrix test sets.