62 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



THE EGGS OF THE BIRDS OF EUROPE, INCLUDING ALL THE 

 SPECIES INHABITING THE WESTERN PAL^EARCTIC AREA. By 

 H. E. Dresser, F.L.S., F.Z.S., etc. London: 1905-1910. Issued 

 in 24 parts. ^12 : 123. net. 



By the completion of this, the finest and most beautiful work 

 ever published on the subject, ornithologists are once more in- 

 debted to Mr. Dresser for a great contribution to their favourite 

 science. These handsome volumes form companions to the same 

 author's great work on the " Birds of Europe." It has been our 

 pleasure from time to time to notice the book during its progress 

 through the press. It is now our greater pleasure to congratulate 

 the veteran author on the completion of his labours. As we have 

 already pointed out, this work possesses one very special and highly 

 important feature, and possesses it alone among the great works 

 devoted to birds' eggs. It has hitherto been the custom to employ 

 an artist to paint the portraits of the eggs to be figured. Now it 

 may seem a strange fact, yet to ornithologists it is a well-known one, 

 that eggs are extremely difficult subjects to successfully portray, and 

 hence most of the plates that have been devoted to them are more 

 or less unsatisfactory, the exceptions being those cases where the 

 author was his own draughtsman. Mr. Dresser has boldly and 

 successfully overcome this difficulty. He has interposed no artist 

 between his subjects and their portraits, but has had all his figures, 

 and they amount to several thousands, reproduced by the three- 

 colour process, i.e. direct from the specimens themselves. At first 

 we were not a little sceptical that success could be achieved by such 

 mechanical treatment, but we were mistaken, for the result is really 

 wonderful. The eggs stand out in all their natural rotundity, and 

 are beautiful and faithful in their colour-markings. In all there are 

 1 06 plates, and on these the eggs of over 700 species, usually several 

 of each, are admirably depicted, and are masterpieces of the colour- 

 printer's art. The letterpress is suitable and adequate, and affords 

 full information on the breeding range of each species, the situation 

 and structure of the nest, and the number, description, and measure- 

 ments of the eggs. The volume devoted to the letterpress is 

 admirably illustrated by text-figures reproductions of photographs 

 of nests in situ of many species. We sincerely trust that Mr. 

 Dresser, who has passed the Biblical limit of life, may be spared to 

 lay ornithologists under further obligations from his stores of know- 

 ledge. The excellence of his latest work is the best evidence that 

 his days of usefulness have not yet run their course. 



THE BIRDS OF DUMFRIESSHIRE : A CONTRIBUTION TO THE 

 FAUNA OF THE SOLWAY AREA. By H. S. Gladstone, M.A., F.Z.S., 

 F.R.S.E., M.B.O.U. With illustrations from photographs. London: 

 Witherby and Co., 1910. 253. net. 



A book which fills a gap in the ornithic survey of Scotland is 



