CRITICAL NOTICES OP NEW PUBLICATIONS. 121 



to suppose that the increased taste for Natural History is the prin- 

 cipal reason why we so often now hear of the nest being met with, 

 is the fact that we believe no person in the neighbourhood alluded 

 to is aware that any Wood Snipes stay with them through the sum- 

 mer. Even if they were so, indeed, it is by no means likely that 

 any of thera would make it known. 



A couple of Snipe's eggs, admirably represented ; No. 1 exhibit- 

 ing the usual appearance, '' The Snipe," says Mr. Hewitson, " is 

 most commonly to be met with in low, marshy, and boggy grounds, 

 and in such situations a few of them breed in most parts of the 

 country. It is extremely difficult, however, in describing the usual 

 breeding place of any bird, to limit it to any particular situation. 

 In confirmation of this, I met with several nests of the Snipe, dur- 

 ing the present summer, affording so great a deviation from their 

 usual position that I was strongly inclined to doubt their identity, 

 till I had proved it. They were upon Foula, the most westerly of 

 the Shetland Islands, against the dry heathy side of a steep hill, 

 and at an elevation of not less than from 500 to 1 000 feet above 

 the marshy plain." 



Two examples of that of the Common Dunlin, sufficiently cha- 

 racteristic and exact ; but we could wish that one of them had been 

 figured rather darker. 



The next plate contains eggs of three species ; viz. — the Corn 

 Crake, Speckled Sora, and Rail ; one example of each. There is 

 a great family resemblance throughout the eggs of all the species of 

 this family, and they are unlike those of any other. The Corn 

 Crake's egg is, perhaps, as good an average as could be chosen ; 

 those of the other species are somewhat smaller, and alike in size : 

 that of the Rail is very like many examples of the Corn Crake's — 

 dull-reddish white, with small specks of reddish brown and pale ash 

 colour. The Speckled Sora's egg has a deeper ground tint, and is 

 more boldly spotted with darker brown. Mr. Hewitson observed 

 the Corn Crake " sitting upon the stone walls, in Shetland, on 

 which it had a singular appearance." 



Two eggs of the Common Gallinule succeed, differing remarkably 

 in size, but not nearly so much in tint and markings as some we 

 have. However, they are sufficiently characteristic, which is all 

 that is necessary. They vary from a dull clay tint to reddish white, 

 and the spots in size and relative abundance. Not unfrequently 

 they have a longitudinal tendency. We have seen a variety with 

 the ground colour pure white. 



A Coot's egg, which is less variable in tint than the preceding, 

 though, like it, subject to much difference in size, as Mr. Hewitson 

 observes. We are aware of no author who has described the 

 singular production on the forehead of the newly-hatched Coot, 

 beautifully intimating the true nature of the frontal shield, which 

 is simply a modification of the feather. An approach to this struc- 

 ture is noticeable on the forehead of the Rail, on which the shafts 

 of the feathers terminate in a horny point. In the chick of the 



VOL. VI. — NO. XIX. Q 



