796 Jlecently published Ornithological Works. 



The Austral Avian Record. 

 [The Austral Avian Record. Vol. ii., Aug. 1913-Aujv. 1915.] 



The completion of the second volume o£ Mr. Mathews's 

 journal demands a short notice from us, though, doubtless, 

 it is in the hands of all who are interested in Australian 

 ornithology. In addition to a large number of descriptions 

 of new genera and species, and discussions of some of those 

 already proposed, there are some useful bibliographical notes 

 on Billberg's ' Synopsis Faunae Scandinavice ' and on the 

 date of publication of the plates illustrating the ornithology 

 of the voyage of the '^ Coquille ' between 1822-25, and of 

 Vieillot's ' Galerie des Oiseaux.' 



We have already commented on Mr. Mathews's methods 

 in the matter of describing new subspecies, and we fear the 

 later numbers of this journal show very little change for the 

 better. As a rule, no definite type is mentioned, and the 

 descriptions are without measurements, and consist of one 

 short comparative sentence, as, for instance (p. 126), Meso- 

 phoijx intermedia terrltori is described as differing from M. i. 

 plumifera in its shorter tarsus and bill — no further infor- 

 mation is given. As regards genera much the same com- 

 plaints are necessary. As we have before stated, there may 

 be ample justification for many of these new genera and 

 subspecies, but in very few cases is sufficient evidence given 

 of the grounds on which they are created. 



British Birds. 



[British Birds : an Illustrated Magazine. Edited by II. F. Witherby, 

 r.Z.S., M.B.O.U. Vol. viii., June 1914-May 1915.] 



There are a number of interesting articles in the last 

 volume of ' British Birds,' but the exigencies of space will 

 only allow us to refer to the more important ones. The 

 volume opens with an article on bird-song by Drs. Stadler 

 and Schmidt, wiio have contributed much to our knowledge of 

 this subject to various German ornithological journals, and 

 Avho have invented a number of special methods of recording 



