Recently published Ornithological Works. 731 



137. North on the Destruction of Birds in Australia. 



[The Deslriictiou of Native Birds in New South Wales. By Alfred J. 

 North, C.M.Z.S., Ornithologist. Rec. Austral. Mus. iv. pp. 17-21, 1901.] 



We regret to find tliat^ as in Europe and North America^ 

 the destruction of bird-life is proceeding at a great pace 

 even in Australia. Rifle-birds and Bower-birds are in con- 

 stant demand at Sydney for ladies^ hats. Two hundred and 

 fifty Lyre-birds [Menura superba) are reported to have been 

 slaughtered in one locality for the sake of their tails. A 

 Bird-Preservation Act passed in 1895 is " more honoured in 

 the breach than in the observance.^'' In the vicinity of the 

 great cities Sparrows and Starlings are fast ousting the 

 native birds_, and in the immediate neighbourhood of Mel- 

 bourne ''hardly a single native bird is to be seen.'' Other 

 active agents of destruction are ''phosphorized oats/^ scat- 

 tered about to destroy the rabbits^ and domestic catSj intro- 

 duced for the same purpose. We trust that Australians will 

 take warning in time, and endeavour to find some remedy 

 for this sad state of affairs. 



138. Gates's Catalogue of Birds' Eggs. 



[Catalogue of the Collection of Birds' Eggs in tlie British Museum . 

 Vol.1. By Eugene W. Dates. London. Printed by Order of the Trustees. 

 Pp. 452. 18 Plates. Price 25,s.] 



The first volume of the Catalogue of Birds'-eggs in the 

 British Museum, to the progress of which we have referred 

 on several occasions^ is now published. It follows exactly 

 the nomenclature and arrangement of the ' Hand-list/ and 

 contains an account of the eggs of the Ratitae and of the 

 Carinatse from the " Tinamifornes ^^ up to the Lariformes — 

 including altogether 520 species, the eggs of which are 

 illustrated from 12,156 specimens. Under the head of each 

 specieSj as named in the ' Hand-list,^ are given the principal 

 references relating to the eggs and the nesting. Then follows 

 a description of the egg, and a list of the specimens, with 

 localities and the mode of acquisition added; general remarks 

 on the colour and shape of the eggs are also often given under 

 the heads of the Genera, Orders, and other larger divisions. 



