364 On the neio B. 0. U. List of British Birds. 



views about those subspecies, and pitfalls have not always 

 been avoided, though the compilers can only be congratu- 

 lated on the results. A few instances may be mentioned to 

 illustrate this. Under Corvus monedula (p. 3) it is not 

 quite correct to say that it " has occurred " in the " Canary 

 Isles, Morocco, and Algeria " ; it has been observed on the 

 Canary Islands only once or twice^ while in north Algeria 

 there are large breeding colonies, the birds there being 

 resident, and a very diflFerent subspecies, Colceus monedula 

 cirtensis. 



Serinus serinus : It might have been mentioned that the 

 German Serin has recently been separated subspecifically. 



Fringilla coelebs : It would have been interesting to know 

 that the British form has been separated^ though not 

 recognized, in which the reviewer fully agrees. The same 

 applies to Alauda arvensis and other species. 



Galerida cristata : The expression " If these {i. e. the 

 subspecies from Africa and Asia) are admitted^' is mis- 

 leading, because there can be no question as to the admittance 

 of most of tliem^ though one or two are doubtful and 

 uncertain. 



Calandrella brachydactyla : The south Algerian form has 

 recently been separated. 



Sitta ccBsia : The Spanish form is obviously different, and 

 the records from Africa are almost certainly erroneous. 



Lanius excubitor and meridionalis : These two Shrikes 

 would more properly have been treated as subspecies. If 

 they are separated as species, then the expression under 

 L. excubitor, that " allied forms " inhabit southern Europe, 

 is easily misunderstood. 



Aquila chrysaHtus : " Various races have been recog- 

 nized " is a very vague term, and one would have liked more 

 information. 



Branta bernicia glaucogaster : It has been explained 

 and is clear from the original description that glauco- 

 gaster is a synonym of bernicia, and that, therefore^ the 

 name cannot be used for the American form, if that is 

 distinct. 



