diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
index 1e1b4347bb22..e502d3b8ec6a 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -6462,21 +6462,21 @@ def hist2d(self, x, y, bins=10, range=None, normed=False, weights=None,
                 - If int, the number of bins for the two dimensions
                   (nx=ny=bins).
 
-                - If [int, int], the number of bins in each dimension
+                - If ``[int, int]``, the number of bins in each dimension
                   (nx, ny = bins).
 
                 - If array_like, the bin edges for the two dimensions
                   (x_edges=y_edges=bins).
 
-                - If [array, array], the bin edges in each dimension
+                - If ``[array, array]``, the bin edges in each dimension
                   (x_edges, y_edges = bins).
 
             The default value is 10.
 
         range : array_like shape(2, 2), optional, default: None
              The leftmost and rightmost edges of the bins along each dimension
-             (if not specified explicitly in the bins parameters): [[xmin,
-             xmax], [ymin, ymax]]. All values outside of this range will be
+             (if not specified explicitly in the bins parameters): ``[[xmin,
+             xmax], [ymin, ymax]]``. All values outside of this range will be
              considered outliers and not tallied in the histogram.
 
         normed : bool, optional, default: False
@@ -6510,31 +6510,32 @@ def hist2d(self, x, y, bins=10, range=None, normed=False, weights=None,
         Other Parameters
         ----------------
         cmap : Colormap or str, optional
-            A :class:`matplotlib.colors.Colormap` instance.  If not set, use rc
-            settings.
+            A `.colors.Colormap` instance.  If not set, use rc settings.
 
         norm : Normalize, optional
-            A :class:`matplotlib.colors.Normalize` instance is used to
+            A `.colors.Normalize` instance is used to
             scale luminance data to ``[0, 1]``. If not set, defaults to
-            ``Normalize()``.
+            `.colors.Normalize()`.
 
         vmin/vmax : None or scalar, optional
-            Arguments passed to the `Normalize` instance.
+            Arguments passed to the `~.colors.Normalize` instance.
 
         alpha : ``0 <= scalar <= 1`` or ``None``, optional
             The alpha blending value.
 
         See also
         --------
-        hist : 1D histogram
+        hist : 1D histogram plotting
 
         Notes
         -----
-        Rendering the histogram with a logarithmic color scale is
-        accomplished by passing a :class:`colors.LogNorm` instance to
-        the *norm* keyword argument. Likewise, power-law normalization
-        (similar in effect to gamma correction) can be accomplished with
-        :class:`colors.PowerNorm`.
+        - Currently ``hist2d`` calculates it's own axis limits, and any limits
+          previously set are ignored.
+        - Rendering the histogram with a logarithmic color scale is
+          accomplished by passing a `.colors.LogNorm` instance to the *norm*
+          keyword argument. Likewise, power-law normalization (similar
+          in effect to gamma correction) can be accomplished with
+          `.colors.PowerNorm`.
         """
 
         h, xedges, yedges = np.histogram2d(x, y, bins=bins, range=range,