BOOK NOTICES 63 



always acceptable. Mr. Gladstone's work, however, does more than 

 this, since it is the only one devoted to any portion of the Scottish 

 Solway area, nay more, we have no other book treating on the 

 avifauna of south-western Scotland. Such a contribution is thus 

 of exceptional value. The author has been very thorough in his 

 investigations into the voluminous literature relating to his subject, 

 and with this rich material, supplemented by his own observations, 

 has produced an excellent, readable, and handsome volume 

 of no less than 482 pages. That the avifauna of this part of the 

 Scottish Solway area is a rich one, and includes many rarities, 

 was to be expected, since it has received the attention of such a 

 distinguished resident and indefatigable naturalist as Sir William 

 Jardine in former times, and latterly of our friend and valued 

 contributor Mr. Robert Service. Many others, whose names 

 will be found in the chapter devoted to bibliography, have also 

 contributed materially to the subject. As the result we find that no 

 less than 218 species are natives, annual visitors, or have casually 

 occurred in the county, while 37 others have been doubtfully 

 recorded. These are all treated from the faunistic point of view ; 

 but, in addition, much other information of interest is afforded 

 which is likely to be fully appreciated by the many local subscribers 

 to the book. There are excellent chapters devoted to the physical 

 features of the county, migration, local names of species, etc. That 

 the book was a desideratum has been more than indicated, and 

 the author has discharged his self-imposed task in a manner that is 

 creditable in the highest degree, and renders the book a valuable 

 contribution to the great series of Scottish faunal works, among 

 which it is in every way worthy of a high place. It is well illustrated, 

 having twenty -four plates of topographical interest, and is also 

 supplied with a good map of the county. 



THE BRITISH BIRD-BOOK : AN ACCOUNT OF ALL THE BIRDS, 

 NESTS, AND EGGS FOUND IN THE BRITISH ISLES. Edited by F. B. 

 Kirkman, B.A. (Oxon.). Illustrated by 200 coloured drawings and 

 numerous photographs. London and Edinburgh : T. C. and E. C. 

 Jack, 1910. In 12 sections at IDS. 6d. net. 



We have here the beginnings (two sections) of yet another 

 expensive work devoted to British birds : one by an Editor who is 

 assisted by several well - known ornithologists, including Messrs. 

 Bonhote, Jourdain, Pycraft, and Selous. In an elaborate and 

 business-like prospectus, abounding in promises, we are given to 

 understand that practically all the literature, British and Continental, 

 is to be ransacked and laid under contribution ; and that in one 

 respect, at least, namely the accounts devoted to habits, the new 

 work is to surpass anything that has hitherto appeared in a British 

 bird-book. The performance, however, is not remarkable when com- 

 pared with what we were led to anticipate. In a work which is 



