20 



poet flDortem IReports. 



(l/ide Rules). 



Rock Thrush, hen. (Mr. True). Septicaemia was the cause 

 of death. The history given points to a duration of at 

 least four nionths, and W\& post mortem appearances of the 

 organs were in accordance with the history {vide The 

 Story of Bird Death in next number). Wliy were the 

 perches in the cage covered with plaster of Paris } The 

 proper perch is described in Vol. III. page 216. 



BiCHENO Finch. (Mr. Filliner). Death was caused by shock 

 and exhaustion due to egg binding. 



Canary. (Mr. Tweed). The proventiculus and gizzard were 

 distended with macerated food, while the intestines were 

 perfectly empty. The lining membrane of the stomach 

 cavities was chronically inflamed and thickened, and it was 

 this condition which appeared to constitute the obstruction 

 at the pyloric orifice of the gizzard. 



ROSHATE Cockatoo. (Mr. Wheeler). This bird died of fatty 

 degeneration of the liver of old standing, aud also pneu- 

 monia of recent date. 



W. Geo. CRESWEIyly. 



IReview. 



British Bird Life: being popular sketches of every species 



of bird ttozv regularly nesting in the British Isles. By 



W. Percival Westell, M.B.O.U., F.R.H.S., etc. T. Fisher 

 Unwin. Five Shillings. 



There seems no end to the popular books on 

 British birds — this one is very like many which have 

 preceded it, and it will no doubt be followed by a 

 still greater number of similar works. With every 

 inclination to welcome them appreciatively, one can- 

 not help wondering who the people are who buy and 

 (presumably) read them all. 



This one, which boasts an introduction by Sir 

 Herbert Maxwell, is constructed on the principle of 

 incltiding only those species which breed in Britain — 

 possibly such a classification has its advantages, but it 



