893 



REVIEW. 



" THE WORLD'S BIRDS "—by FRANK FINN (HUTCHINSON. 



LONDON, 5s. net). 



The writer of this book is well known to many members of this Society as 

 the former Deputy Superintendent of the Indian Museum and the author of 

 several small works on Indian birds. From such an ambitious title, one might 

 imagine that mention would be made of all the different kinds of birds found 

 throughout the world, but this is obviously impossible when it is taken into 

 account that there are only some 180 pages in which to deal with the 14,000 

 different species which are known to exist. In his preface Mr. Finn tells us 

 that " the aim of this work is to afford a practical and comprehensive survey 

 of the living birds of the world for the benefit of those who have not time or 

 inclination to engage in dissection or detailed museum work, " and he also 

 states his reasons for taking the various families in alphabetical order instead of 

 adopting any definite scheme of classification. 



The names of the principal parts of birds, both internal and external, are ex- 

 plained in a short introductory chapter, and a general comparative survey is 

 given of the various kinds of nests made by birds together with a few remarks 

 on seasonal change, migration and geographical distribution. Each family is 

 treated under a number of sub-headings, such as size, eggs, flight, distribution 

 and important species, and the information is given as concisely as possible. 

 In more than one instance Mr. Finn places several families under one heading, 

 especially in the case of the Passerine birds, which he calls Passeridae; and this 

 method does not lend itself to the system of sub-headings, as it is hardly 

 possible to treat such a large number of birds with very distinct habits in this 

 wfey. 



It may be that this work will fulfil the purpose suggested in the prospectus, 

 but we doubt if the book will be of much use to " museum-curators or bird- 

 keepers." 



The book is illustrated with a number of good photographs, chiefly taken 

 from living examples in the Zoological Societies' gardens, together with a few of 

 smffed specimens. They have been selected, as far as possible, to show repre- 

 sentative birds of the less familiar families and uncommon species. It is 

 unfortunate that no guide is given to the size of the different birds illustrated ; 

 for instance, few people, we think, could recognise the bird on the plate facing 

 page 114, without seeing the name. 



