192 ANNALS OF SCOTTISH NATURAL HISTORY 



amount of information is afforded concerning their anatomical and 

 morphological characters, distribution, etc., and the genera included 

 in each family are enumerated. As a scientific and masterly 

 exposition of the subject with which it deals, Dr. Pelseneer's 

 volume undoubtedly stands unrivalled. 



THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SELBORNE. By the Rev. Gilbert 

 White. Rearranged and classified by Charles Mosley. (London : 

 Elliot Stock, 1905.) Price 6s. 



There have been many editions of this well-known classic, but 

 the one under notice marks a departure and is thoroughly original 

 in its treatment. Mr. Mosley has carefully abstracted from the 

 celebrated Letters all the information relating to each species, and 

 then arranged the latter alphabetically under the respective groups 

 to which they belong. Thus it is possible to ascertain at once all 

 that Gilbert White had to say regarding each mammal, bird, or 

 other animal, or any plant, etc., while a reference is given to the 

 particular Letter from which each item has been culled. Such a 

 form of treatment will be welcomed by naturalists, even by some of 

 those who already possess other copies of this famous work. 



A POCKET BOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. By E. T. M. Elms. 

 (London : West, Newman, and Co., 1906.) Price 25. 6d. 



A pocket volume on British Birds which will afford a concise 

 description of each species with a clear indication of their diagnostic 

 characters would undoubtedly prove a useful vade mecum for the 

 ornithologist. Unfortunately Mr. Elms' book only partially supplies 

 this desideratum, and merely for those birds which are common or 

 fairly common, the rarer species being omitted a serious shortcoming. 

 For each of our native birds a short and accurate description is 

 given for the adults, but without a special reference to their " key " 

 characters ; while the immature birds usually the most difficult to 

 determine of all are very inadequately treated. A definition of 

 the status of each species is given ; also a description of its haunts, 

 habits, notes, food, nest, and eggs. The book is useful so far as it 

 goes, and the pity of it is that it does not go further, as it might 

 easily have done without materially adding to its small bulk. 



WILD BIRDS AT HOME : Second Series. (London and Glasgow : 

 Cowans and Gray, Limited.) Price 6d. 



This second series, comprising a further sixty of Mr. Charles 

 Kirk's photos of bird life, fully maintains the standard of excellence 

 and interest of his former pictures. In this series Mr. Kirk has 

 been particularly successful in securing photographs of several 

 species in flight or feeding their young, and also some pretty 

 portraits of chicks. A new feature has been added in the shape of 

 some capital notes on the species figured, which have been con- 

 tributed by Mr. George Girdwood, of Dumbarton, and add not 

 a little to the value of the booklet. 



