3:22 lieceittly published Ornitholoyical Works. [Ibis, 



tliat tall knowledge of the habits which was so conspicuous 

 iu Mr. Coward's treatment of such groups as the Warblers. 

 But the coloration of the eggs leaves much to be desired, 

 and in the case of certain of the Ducks is absolutely mis- 

 leading : for instance, the Gadwall's (i^^ is cream-coloured, 

 not green. The reproductions of Lord Lilford's plates are 

 wonderful for a book of this ])rice; the Idack plates are 

 good, but somewhat ordinary, while only the publisher can 

 tell whether they are necessary to the sale of the volumes. 

 We should have omitted them and used them elsewhere. 



Hoivard on Tenilory in Bird Life. 



[Terntory in Bird Life. By M. Eliot Howard. Pp. xiv+308; 11 

 photoa-ravures by Lodge and G'-onvold. London (John Murray), 19:20. 

 8vo. '2\s. net.] 



As a result of long-continued observation in the field on 

 the breeding-habits of British Warblers, Mr. H. Eliot 

 Howard has gradually come to realize the immense im- 

 portance of the possession of territory to the male, and its 

 influence on his life and actions. In the present attractive 

 and thoughtful little work he has extended his studies to 

 other families, and finds that the same general principles 

 hold good. 



It is obvious that no species can breed unless it lias 

 undisputed possession of a nesting-site of some kind, 

 however restricted, and to this extent every bird requires 

 wliat we may agree to call territoiy. But among the 

 Warblers the term includes, not merely the nesting-place, 

 but a more or less extensive reserve, which serves as a 

 station from which the song is uttered to attract a mate, 

 and the hunting-ground or source of food-sup})ly, tlie limits 

 of which are rarely transgressed by the parents during 

 the whole period of reproduction. On the other hand, 

 among the Auks we find the Guillemot occupying, to use 

 Mr. Howard's words, "a few square feet of rock only" for 

 lireeding-purposes. On the pinnacles at the Fame Islands 

 it would be more correct to say that the breeding sj)ace 



