5S6 Birds of Europe. 



all the birds of Europe, if we except Werner's Illustrations of 

 M. Temminck\ Manuel d'Ornithologie. This work, which is 

 published in 8vo, gives but one figure of each species. Mr. 

 Gould's work is imperial folio, uniform in size with the work 

 on the Himalayan birds, and represents, in various figures, the 

 peculiarities of plumage induced by age, sex, or season; and 

 a page of letterpress, of equal size, placed opposite each plate, 

 at once sufficiently scientific and popular, supplies in descrip- 

 tion the most interesting details of the history of each species. 



The work is to be published quarterly. The first part 

 contains twenty plates, of which fifteen are devoted to the 

 birds of England, and five to those of the European continent ; 

 representing together thirty-five figures of birds, many of 

 them of their natural size, which, for accuracy of outline, 

 natural colouring, and appropriate landscape, are equal, if not 

 superior, to any other ornithological production in Europe. 



The various subjects, selected with judgment, are drawn on 

 stone by Mrs. Gould, and rival the best of those in the Hima- 

 layan w^ork * ; while additional and most appropriate land- 

 scape, with all its varied accessories of rocks, water, trees, and 

 herbage, is delineated with the boldness, truth, and charac- 

 ter of highly finished chalk drawings. The whole of the 

 plates are printed by Hullmandel, and coloured by Bayfield. 

 No better cooperators in their departments could have been 

 secured or selected. 



Among the various plates it is difficult to particularise, 

 where all are excellent. From the genus Falco two examples 

 have been chosen. Of the lesser kestrel (F. /innunculoides 

 Natter), so closely allied to our well known common kestrel 

 or windhover (F. Tinnunculus Linn.\ the attitude is natural, 

 and the resemblance exact ; and the fine dark slate-colour of 

 the adult male of Falco riafipes Dechstein, which forms the 

 subject of the second plate, is well contrasted with the bright 

 silvery bark of the beech tree, and the general rufous tinge of 

 the female, with which he is grouped. The brilliant plumage 

 of the kingfisher, the mazy zigzag markings of the more 

 sober-coloured wryneck, and the magpie peering out from his 

 leafy oak, are alike true to nature; nor are the various war- 

 blers, the red-legged partridges, the rail, the grebes, or the 

 golden eyes, less worthy of particular notice. The artist and 

 those associated in the undertaking appear equally qualified 

 to depict the various inhabitants of the air, the trees, the land, 

 the marsh, or the water ; and much of that which constitutes 

 real excellence will be found in this work, which we have 

 examined with pleasure, and recommend with sincerity. 



* See p. 190. of the current volume of this Magazine. — J- ^^ 



