368 BRITISH BIRDS. [vol. vi. 



Red-crested Pochard has occurred twice in Yorkshire whereas 

 it is there expressly stated that both records refer to the same 

 bird. Enough has been said to show that Mr. Millais is not 

 by any means rehable in those parts of his \\'ork which 

 depend upon the observations recorded by others. 



In the accounts of distribution we find the follow- 

 ing records which do not seem to have been previously 

 pubUshed — 



Red-created Pochard (p. 8). — One obtained near Cambridge and 

 " others " at Ely in the winter of 1882 and two at Oban in 

 the winter of 1898. 



Common Pochard (p. 19). — Breeding in Nottinghamshire (J. Whitaker). 



Scaup (p. 68) stated to have bred on South ULst in 1910. 



Harlequin (p. 136).- — A bird obtained by a man named Cuthbertson 

 at the Fames is an adult and not an immature bird as stated 

 by Mr. Bolam, but we do not see how IMr. Millais fixes the date 

 of the capture of thLs bird as 1882 and claims it as an additional 

 record. It seems more likely to have been one of the three 

 observed at the same place in 1886, unless there is good evidence 

 for the date 1882. 



As we have already mentioned, critical discussion of the 

 interesting sequence of plumages in these birds must be left 

 to those A\ho have specialized in the group. But the 

 author of this book has been remarkably well equipped 

 with material, for he has not only had his o\mi fine series to 

 work upon, but he has had free access to the wonderful 

 collection of duck-skins in the possession of Mr. E. Lehn 

 Schioler of Copenhagen. 



The descriptions which will probably attract most attention 

 are those of the eclipse plumage of the Common Pochard, 

 about which very little is known, and of the winter, " summer," 

 and " semi-echpse " plumages of the adult male Long-tailed 

 Duck, for the author avers that this bird has t\AO partial 

 moults and one complete moult in the year. 



We hope that in his second volume, which we beUeve is 

 to appear in the autumn, Mr. Millais u ill provide keys not 

 only to differentiate the adults in full plumage, but also to 

 show at a glance how the males in eclipse and immature 

 plumages cUffer from each other, especialty when half moulted, 

 and how the females differ from the immature males. This 

 would be a very useful piece of \\ork, and it is one that is 

 much wanted. 



Mr. Millais, as is well known, has for some years been one 

 of the chief exponents of the theory of colour-change m the 

 fully -grown feather. That the colour of a feather can change 

 by the loss of certain portions and by disintegration m the 

 cortex everj'one admits, but Mr. Millais argues that changes 



