Recently published OrmtholoyicaJ Works. 141 



23. Pike on Bird-land. 



[In Bird-Land with Field-glass and Camera. By Oliver G. Pike. 

 8vo. London : Unwin, 1900. Pp. xvi, 280. Price G,s.] 



This little book consists of pleasing studies o£ bird-life from 

 the pen of an accurate observer of everyday occurrences^ who, 

 moreover^ shows a proper anxiety for the preservation of 

 the rarer species. The scope of his observations is chiefly 

 confined to the counties lying immediately to the north of 

 London, though three chapters are devoted to the Norfolk 

 Broads ; the woods, fields, hedgerows, and streams being 

 all laid under contribution. By various devices, and by the 

 aid of a silent shutter, he has been able to take 83 photo- 

 graphs of birds at very close quarters, even when they are 

 sitting upon or entering their nests. The pictures are of 

 very unequal merit, but those referring to the Bearded 

 Tit on pp. 224, 229, and 231 are quite true to nature. 



24. Pycraft on the Plerylosis of the Meyapodes. 



[A Contribution towards our Knowledge of the Pterylography of the 

 Megapodii. By W. P. Pycraft. Reprinted from A. Willey's 'Zoological 

 Results,' Part iv. pp. 483-492, pi. xlix.] 



This paper contains one of those important pieces of work 

 in which to find no fault is the highest praise. Consequently 

 we may at once devote our attention to a study of the 

 contents. 



The material in Mr. Pycraft's hands consisted of a series 

 of embryos of unknown parentage and one newly-hatched 

 nestling (probably of Meyapodiiis eremita) procured by 

 Dr. Willey, together with an embryo of the same species, 

 one of Megacephalon maleo, and the type of Megapodins 

 pritchardi (in spirit), used for comparison. 



New and remarkable points noted by the author are as 

 follows: — (1) The pi^ecise details of the pterylography of 

 both adult and embryo; (2) the arrested development in the 

 nestling of the outermost primaries and of the 1st (2nd) 

 cubital remex ; (3) the different rate of growth of the fore- 

 arm from that of the manus in the embryo. AVith regai'd to 



