136 Catalogue of British Birds. 



of these birds ; and a new European species, hitherto over- 

 looked, has been clearly made out. 



Among the most perfect representations we might charac- 

 terise the bee-eater (a beautiful plate), the turtle dove, pintailed 

 grouse, pine grosbeak, waxen chatterer, long-legged plover, 

 and blackcap. The feathering of the little bustards is admi- 

 rably portrayed ; the gerfalcons have all the natural appear- 

 ance of this type of the falcons; and the European sparrows 

 exhibit the confidential familiarity of our metropolitan old 

 acquaintances. 



If we now mention what to us appears to detract in a 

 slight degree from the general excellence of this work, we do 

 so from a motive that we are sure the author will appreciate, 

 and from a sincere desire to do him service. There is, occa- 

 sionally, though rarely, a slight appearance of stiffness in the 

 drawing of some of the figures, and the tone of colouring, in 

 one or two instances, is too uniform. These are but slight 

 blemishes in the general beauty of the work, and are only 

 pointed out that they may be avoided. 



The Birds of Europe may be truly considered as a national 

 work, and deserves patronage of the highest order. It is 

 produced under a combination of circumstances not likely to 

 occur again. We doubt if this work will ever be equalled, 

 and never expect to see it surpassed. 



Anon. : A Systematic Catalogue of British Birds ; intended as 

 a Guide to the Ornithological Department of the Birming- 

 ham Museum of Natural History. 8vo. July, 1832. 



We notice this pamphlet of seven pages for the sake of 

 stating that it shows the rare species in the museum to be, of 

 land birds, the osprey (Falco //aliae v etus), Tengmalrn's owl 

 (Strix Tengmalmz), golden oriole (Oriolus Galbula), rose- 

 coloured pastor (Pastor rose us), bee-eater (Merops ApiasterJ, 

 wood shrike (Lanius rufus), pine grosbeak (Pyrrhula enucle- 

 ator), and the great bustard (Otis tarda). Of the water 

 birds, the rarest in the collection are the ibis (/"bis falcinel- 

 lus), the roseate tern (Sterna Dougal!/), the burgomaster 

 (jLarus glaucus), and the little auk ( CTria A lie). The cata- 

 logue " is arranged on the plan of M. Temminck's valuable 

 Manuel d? Ornithologies with the improvements suggested by 

 Mr. Selby in his Illusti ations of British Ornithology" 



Audouin, M. Victor: Lettres pour servir de Materiaux a 

 l'Histoire des Insectes. Premiere Lettre, contenant des 

 Recherches sur quelques Araignees parasites des Genres 

 Pteropte, Caris, Argas, et lxode,* addressee a M. Leon 



