144 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXV. 



his choice, for his style is not sufficiently good to make his works attractive 

 for their own sake, while his abilities would make him a most welcome 

 recruit to the ranks of scientific workers, now alas sadly depleted by the 

 war. 



To quote Mr. Dewars own word, on page 161 he says : " Very few 

 '•' observations of the comings and goings of the various raptorial birds 

 '• have been recorded ; in the present state of our knowledge it is not 

 " possible to compile an accurate table showing the usual order in which 

 '' the various species appear. This is a subject to which those persons who 

 " dwell permanently in one place might with advantage direct their 

 " attention." 



This remark may with propriety be extended to refer to almost every 

 species, save those which are known definitely to be entirely resident. 

 Very little is on record regarding species which are known to be migratory 

 while (as our author says again on p. 72) " the great majority of species, 

 " probably move about in a methodical manner in the course of a year ; a 

 " great deal of local migration is overlooked, because the birds that move 

 " away from a locality are replaced by others of their kind that come from 

 " other places." 



It is not necessary, however, to add the proviso "who dwell permanently 

 in one place." All observations, however fragmentary, are of value in the 

 present state of our knowledge, provided that they are published and left 

 on record in print for future workers. If all who read this book are encour- 

 aged thereby to make a few observations on their own account it will . not 

 have been written in vain ; let all such make a practice of writing short 

 notes to our Journal after the manner of the numerous class of corres- 

 pondents who contribute to the "notes and queries" portion of the 

 Naturalist columns of the " Field " newspaper. 



In conclusion it may be noted that the volume under review is neatly 

 bound and printed and is remarkably free from errors both of printing and 

 fact. Still in a future edition Mr. Dewar may care to correct his 

 statement that no Owls and Vultures are migratory and to modify some of 

 his theories. 



