374 Recenthj published Ornitholoyical Worhs. 



attributed to the result of the exertion caused by the capture 

 of struggling insect-prey, which induces the energetic bird 

 to erect its frontal feathers ! 



We will reserve our remarks on the general Avifauna of 

 Guiana until the completion of the work by the issue of the 

 second volume, which, we understand, has already reached 

 Holland in manuscript^ and will, we hope, be published with- 

 out much delay. We are not sure that the authors have done 

 well in writing in their native language. It is highly 

 patriotic, no doubt, but we fear that it will interfere with the 

 circulation of the book. English is well understood by all 

 educated Hollanders, and especially by those who read 

 scientific books. 



We understand that the collection of bird-skins made by 

 the authors has been acquired by the Tring Museum, 

 and that the accompanying series of eggs (which contains 

 specimens referable to 273 species) has been presented to 

 the Leyden Museum. 



43. Pya'aft on Birds. 



[A Book of Birds. By W. P. Pycraft. London, 1908. Pp. i-viii, 

 1-155, with coloured plates and text-figures.] 



Mr. Pycraft has invariably something interesting to relate 

 with regard to Ornithology, but we consider his talents 

 wasted in writing letterpress to accompany the thirty inferior 

 coloured plates contained in this volume, which consists of 

 a general survey of the principal groups of Birds, with 

 special reference to those of Britain and the reat of Europe. 



The forms included are for the most part selected with the 

 view of bringing out the differences in anatomical structure, 

 and in this connexion the author warns his readers that 

 similarity of appearance does not necessarily imply close 

 relationship. The instances are well chosen ; but for the 

 general public it might have been better to have reduced 

 the number of species and treated the remainder more fully, 

 as may be seen in. the case of the Megapodes and Cuckoos. 



Nearly thirty pages are devoted to an admirable Introduc- 

 tion, which, after touching upon the descent of Birds from 



