328 Reviews. • [isi''''.\",'rii 



" Habits axd Economic Relations of the (}uaxo Birds 

 OF Peru." 

 This important work by Dr. Robert E. Coker, who is in charge 

 of the Scientific Inquiry, United States Bureau of Fisheries, is 

 reprinted from the Proceedings of the United States National Museum, 

 vol. Ivi., pp. 449-511, plates 53-69. 



It would appear that the three chief guano birds, in order of 

 value, are a Cormorant {Phalacrocorax hougainvillei), a Pelican 

 {Pelecaniis thagiis), and a Gannet {Sitla variegata) ; and it may 

 come as a surprise to those persons who advocate the wholesale 

 destruction of Cormorants to learn that Dr. Coker regards the 

 Peruvian White-breasted Cormorant or " Guanay " (meaning 

 " Guano-Bird ") one of the most valuable birds of the world. 

 From analyses and other scientific calculations " the value of the 

 guano deposited by this single flock (a rookery of Cormorants) 

 during a period of a little more than three years may be stated 

 at 'nearly one million dollars. . . Fowl which produce $1.43 

 worth of guano a pair annually without expense for care and 

 feeding except the nomimal cost of protection may well be 

 appraised at S15 (or over £^) a pair. The fowl which dwell on 

 the South Chincha Island alone, when it was visited in i()07, 

 might well be regarded as an asset representing a value of several 

 millions of dollars." 



The photo. -plates of birds and scenes accompanying the 

 reprint are very fine, while the plates of the Cormorants and the 

 Pelicans, for sheer numbers of bird-crowds, are simply bewildering. 

 A fac-siinilc of one of the latter scenes is herewith gi\'en. 



[" The Birds ut' Australia." Pail v , vul. vii. Ly Gregory M. .Matliews 

 F.K.S.F,.] 



This part completes volume vii., ancl also completes the 

 treatment of the non-Passerine birds. The members of one 

 order, Passeriformes (perching birds), have still to be treated, 

 but this order embraces about half the birds of Australia, so that 

 the completion of this great work is not yet in sight. 



The Lyre-Bird is confirmed by Mathews as being worthy of the 

 rank of an order. He thinks further research \yill probably show 

 that its proper place is not next to the Passcrijormes. Three 

 .sub-species are proposed by Mr. Mathews for the southern Eyre- 

 Bird. The northern Lyre-Bird is placed in a separate genus, 

 Harriwhitea, and two sub-species are proposed. Gould's descrip- 

 tion of its life and habits, being still the best, is fully (pioted. 

 Mathews says : — " Tt seems that the bird is now approacliing 

 extinction, if this be not already achieved." 



Five birds ar<> included and figured as a kind of supplement 

 to bring the first scxcn volumes up to date. These are Globicera 

 pacifica, not well luuned the Queensland Pigeon (Queensland has 

 many Pigeons) : the Fluttering Petrel {Reinholdia reinlioldi), 

 figured for Mr. Basset Hull, president R.A.O.U., in The Kmii. 

 vol. XV., plate xxxii. ; the Mottled Petrel (Pterodroma incxpectata) ; 



