1921.] Recently published Ornithological Works. 545 



and sumptuous work on the Plieasauts has at last appeared, 

 and fully bears out the expectations formed by the first. 

 We understand the publication of the other two vohimes, 

 which will complete the work, will not he long delayed. 



The present volume deals with the Kaieege and Silver 

 Pheasants of the genus Gennceus, the JMalayan Firehacks of 

 the genera Acomus and Lophura, the remarkable White- 

 tailed Wattled Pheasant of the genus Lobiophasis, and the 

 Jungle-Fowls, four in number, of the genus Gallus. 



Perhaps the most valuable and remarkable feature of this 

 work are the personal observations of Mr. Beebe himself, 

 which are chiefly included under the heading of "The Bird 

 audits Haunts. '' The success which Mr. Beebe had (during 

 the comparatively short time in which he was travelling in 

 the eastj of observing in their native jungles so many species, 

 is extraordinary. Of the nine species of Gennaus he has 

 personal experience of five ; he saw four out of the five 

 species of Firebacks as Avell as tiie Lobiophasis, and three 

 out of the four Jungle-Fowls. 



In his taxonomy, Mr. Beebe is distinctly conservative and 

 a lumper. He reduces the number of species of Gennaus to 

 nine — a great reduction from sixteen of the Hand-list and 

 Mr. Baker's estimate of eight species and eight subspecies. 

 Mr. Beebe believes that the great number of the species 

 described chiefly by Oates from Burma, and often founded 

 on single specimens, are natural hxbrids which occur at the 

 junction of the ranges of G. lineatus with the more western 

 G. horsfieldi and the more eastern G. nycthemerus, and he 

 has devoted a good deal of argument to endeavouring to 

 prove this thesis. We shall not attempt here to give an 

 opinion on this question, but in any further attempt 

 at revision Mr. Beebe's views must have great weight. 



The coloured plates, of which there are forty-four^ are, 

 with the exception of five, reproduced from paintings by 

 Mr. George Lodge. Mr. C. R. Knight, the American bird- 

 artist, is responsible for the Silver (^Gennceus nycthemerus) 

 and the Fireback [Lophura ignita) ; while Mr. Gronvold 

 contributes three, illustrating chicks and plumages. Our 



