Reviews.



191



BRITISH BIRDS*


The numbers of British Birds under review are of varied

and general interest. Mr. Mullens gives a detailed and historical

account of the Tradescant Museum. Messrs. C. J. and H. G.

Alexander continue their observations on the Song Period of

Birds, and it will doubtless come as a surprise to many to find that

a number of our native birds are in song during a large portion

of the year. Messrs. Witherby and Hartert describe the Irish Jay

as a new race and without offering an opinion as to the validity or

otherwise of their diagnosis, we think it a pity that original

descriptions should be published in a popular magazine. For

the rest there are a large number of short notes, dealing, for the

most part, with the occurrences of rare birds, or of continental

races of our commoner species in various counties, and the

recovery of marked birds is also referred to in each part.



BRITISH BIRD MANAGEMENT.!


Our member, Mr. Allen Silver, has given us a most

exhaustive and complete account of the best methods for keep¬

ing our native birds. Although primarily written for exhibitors,

the directions given are wide and comprehensive, and the book

will be found equally useful both for those whose only available

space is a cage in a living room or for others, who can afford an

aviary in their gardens.


The book is divided under monthly headings, and in due

season we are told how to catch and meat off adult birds, or how

to hand-rear nestlings. The best kind of aviaries and different

sorts of food are all dealt with in detail, as well as the more

technical points of preparing birds for exhibition. To those

interested in British Birds, whether they be novices or old hands,

this book should prove invaluable and the birds themselves,

could they but speak, would we feel sure thank the author for

putting their special needs in captivity before the public. Hav¬

ing made a special study of British Birds for many years, we can



*Bri/zsh Birds. January, February, March, 1911. London : H. F. Witherby & Co.

Monthly. Price 1/- net.


+ British Bird Management, by Allen Silver. 85 pp., 2 coloured plates and

many illustrations. London : Feathered World , 9, Arundel Street, Strand. Price 1/3 post

free.



