418 Bibliographical Notices. 



much advantage trace the so-called " British " species to their 

 winter retreats, or compare their habits in other lands with what 

 has been noticed in our own. Imperfect indeed must be our ac- 

 quaintance with any bird of whose existence we only know that " a 

 specimen was once captured at York," and another " shot near Yar- 

 mouth," yet fondly counted a British bird because it has once or 

 twice (much to its own grief) set foot upon our free soil. We 

 wonder whether such a construction would admit the Wandering Jew 

 to the full rights of a British subject. 



No ; we must never cease to follow the wandering feathered tribes, 

 whether they go south, or east, or north. They must be put under 

 " surveillance," traced home to their domicile, their diet ascertained, 

 their children counted, their cottages and cradles overhauled, and 

 an exact photograph taken on the spot. Reader, if you turn to one 

 of poor Wolley's "photographs," such as that of the Crane in Lap- 

 land (given at p. 191), &c., you will see what we mean. 



But, to speak of the more strictly scientific features of the work, 

 it is the evident and most praiseworthy endeavour of the worshippers 

 of the Sacred Ibis to keep up thoroughly with their subject. No 

 pains are spared to obtain and make public the most recent observa- 

 tions of their Continental brethren ; and we would fain hope our young 

 ' Ibis ' may bear comparison with any similar publication of its own 

 class abroad. 



It would be invidious to challenge comparison between the re- 

 spective articles, where it has been the effort of all to contribute to 

 the common weal ; and we must say we think much has already been 

 done under the able superintendence of the editor, whose name is 

 not unknown to the readers of the ' Annals.' 



After what has been said, we hope that a short analysis of the 

 contents may suffice. 



The first volume of ' The Ibis ' contains articles upon the birds of 

 the following countries : 



Central America (Sclater and Salvin), I. XII. XXIII. 



St. Croix, West Indies (A. & E. Newton), VI. XIII. XXV. 



Ecuador y Humming Birds (Jameson and Eraser), XLI. 



Mexico, Tyrannidae (Sclater), XLIV. 



And as regards our own hemisphere, the observations relate to 



Southern Palestine (Tristram), II. 

 Egypt (E. C. Taylor), III. 

 Western Africa (Ibadan), (J. H. Gurney). XV. 

 Northern Africa (Tristram), V. XVI. XXIX. XLIII. 

 Western Spitsbergen (Evans and Sturge), XVIII. 

 Eastern Atlas (Salvin), XIX. XXX. XXXIV. 

 South-east Africa (J. H. Gurney), XXIV. 

 The Red Sea (Heuglin & Hartlaub), XXXIII. 

 Beyrout (J. H. Gurney), XXXVII. 



Besides their value in a general point of view, as contributing to 

 our knowledge of the range and economy of the species, many of these 

 chapters contain information of high interest respecting British birds. 



