NOTES ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 67 



are as complete as might be expected, in view of the fact that Mr. Harting 

 has now spent some thirty years in perfecting them. 



The Summary consists merely of a useful classified List of British Birds, 

 in which the residents and migrants are distinguished from the rare visitants. 



The illustrations, from drawings by the late Prof. Schlegel, are among 

 the best of their kind that have yet appeared. They show, it is true, no more 

 than the head and foot of each species ; but these portions are sufficient for 

 identification in, practically, all cases ; and it will be obvious that, had the 

 whole of each bird been shown, the book could not have been issued in one 

 volume or at the price. 



In general respects, there is little to criticise. Mr. Harting's " Intro- 

 duction " shows, however, considerable (though by no means uncommon) 

 confusion of idea as to the respective natures of a "Preface" and an 

 "Introduction," being, in truth, both rolled into one. In the text, too we 

 occasionally meet (especially in Part I.) with remarks which, though 

 admirable in themselves, seem slightly foreign to the author's general plan ; 

 whilst here and there, points might have been, we think, somewhat more 

 concisely expressed. These matters are, however, comparatively-unimportant 

 trifles which the critic would not think worthy of notice in any but a book of 

 the highest standing. 



The format and "get-up " of the volume may be commended as highly as 

 its subject-matter. The printing is excellent ; the binding is plain, but in 

 admirable taste ; and there is a good index. The new edition is indispensable 

 to every British bird-student. Within its limits, it approaches perfection. It 

 would be hard, indeed, to imagine any very serious blemish in a work by so 

 competent a writer, the proofs of which had been criticised by the three 

 gentlemen named above. 



We may add, in conclusion, that the Essex Field Club is indebted to Mr. 

 Harting (one of its Honorary Members) for a copy of his work, which he has 

 generously presented to the Library. 



NOTES— ORIGINAL AND SELECTED. 



ZOOLOGY. 



MAMMALIA. 

 The Long-eared Bat (Plecotus auritus) flying by Day. --On May 



i6th, iQOi, going into my garden just before one o'clock, I noticed what I took 

 at first for some kind of bird fluttering about in a sheltered spot between some 

 trees close to the house. Going nearer, I saw at once that it was a Long- 

 eared Bat, hawking for flies. While I watched it, it had a short chase after a 

 small white Butterfly, which escaped ; but it was engaged chiefly in hawking 

 for the insects gathered round the flowers of a horse-chestnut tree. Once I 

 saw it snap at a Humble Bee that was visiting the flowers. Its flight seemed 

 feeble and it kept lov.' down among the trees at one spot, but it did not seem 

 particularly incommoded by the light, though it was so, probably, in reality; 

 for it settled several times on the trunk of an adjacent fir-tree, clinging with its 

 hind claws, head downward, with its ears fully extended. Once, whilst so settled 

 it allowed me nearly to catch it. Once, too, I saw it fly into a large sequoia. 



