64 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



to cost six guineas, and is the result of so much labour, we should 

 naturally expect that all sections of the subject would receive adequate 

 treatment ; yet except the one on habits, the information afforded is 

 not in advance of that to be found in a Manual or a Handbook, though 

 it is sound so far as it goes. This inadequacy is markedly manifest 

 in the portion which deals with the British distribution of the various 

 species an important subject, and one that has been extremely 

 popular since the day when Gilbert White declared that the natural 

 history of every kingdom and province should have its own mono- 

 grapher. Though so much is claimed for the accounts of habits, 

 we cannot say that we are enamoured with most of them. A few 

 are decidedly good, others smack too much of the artistic writing 

 of the modern journalist, while those of the chief contributor are 

 sadly marred by eccentricities. The plan of the work is unhappy, 

 inasmuch as the accounts of habits are divorced from those treating 

 of the species generally, and are given of the species under groups, 

 such as Finches, etc. We say unhappy, because these descriptions 

 are long (that of the Finches extending to 73 pages), and, as no 

 rubric is used, it entails much loss of time to find the portions relat- 

 ing to any particular species. As regards the coloured pictures, 

 only a few of them, so far, come up to the required modern standard 

 of excellence, and some of them are exceedingly poor. The figures 

 of nests in the text and the general get-up of the book (apart from 

 its awkward size) are all that could be desired. 



THE HOME-LIFE OF THE SPOONBILL, THE STORK, AND SOME 

 HERONS. Photographed and described by Bentley Beetham, F.Z.S. 

 London : Witherby and Co. Price 53. 



Last year Mr. Witherby published a charming little book on 

 the Golden Eagle, and this year he has issued a no less delightful 

 companion volume dealing with the home -life of the Spoonbill, 

 White Stork, Common Heron, and Purple Heron. As the letter- 

 press only amounts to 47 pages the chapters are decidedly short, 

 but they are nevertheless full of observations and notes which bring 

 great credit to the author and show him to be a most careful 

 observer of bird life, and one gifted with an endless stock 

 of patience and energy. In order to study the Spoonbill, White 

 Stork, and Purple Heron, Mr. Bentley Beetham visited Holland, 

 and his trips there proved singularly successful, as in each chapter an 

 interesting and graphic account is given of the home-life of these 

 birds. The author is also an expert photographer, and his 32 

 photographs of the birds in different attitudes and various stages of 

 life are excellent, and have attained to the high-water mark of 

 perfection among bird photographs. The whole get-up of this little 

 volume is most pleasing, and it is to be hoped that it may not be 

 the last of the series. G. G. M. 



