336 The Scottish Naturalist, 



Dr. Buchanan White; Notes on the Native Races of Perthshire, 



by Dr. De Bruce Trotter. The President, in the annual address, summarised 

 the experience of the Society during the previous year, and pointed out the 

 objects most requiring to be kept in view. 



EEVIEW. 



An Illustrated Manual of British Birds, by Howard Saunders, F.L.S., 

 F.Z. S., &c. (Gurney & Jackson, London), appearing in monthly parts at 

 is., to be completed in about 20. 



The number of standard works on British Ornithology is already consider- 

 able ; and it might be thought that there is scarcely room for another ; but the 

 constant progress of scientific investigation calls for new books or for new 

 editions of the old favourites, often so greatly changed as to be practically new- 

 works. 



We have, therefore, great pleasure in calling the attention of our readers to 

 the book whose title heads this review, and of which we have had the oppor- 

 tunity of examining the 1st and 2d parts, published in April and May of this 

 year. The author of the book has devoted much attention to ornithology, and 

 edited Vols. III. and IV. of the last (fourth) edition of Yarrell's classical 

 "History of British Birds." With a view to supply a handy book on our 

 Birds, embodying the results of the most recent investigations, he has com- 

 menced this " Manual," which is designed to give for each species a 

 characteristic woodcut, an accurate description of the male, female, and young 

 birds in the plumage of each season, a record of the distribution within Great 

 Britain, mentioning the localities in which the rarer species have been 

 detected, and the distribution and breeding-places outside British limits. 

 Two pages are devoted to each, so that all are not treated with quite 

 proportionate fulness, but we have not observed any important omissions 

 under any species. The classification to be followed is, Mr. Saunders tells us, 

 almost the same as that in Dresser's great work, the "Birds of Europe." In 

 accordance with this the Passeres stand at the head of the series, and will be 

 the first group discussed. 



If we may judge of what is to come from what we have seen, the book is de- 

 serving of success and will be of service in promoting the study of British birds. 

 It should do much to break down the insularity that too often hedges in British 

 scientists. 



