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The Vertebrate Fauna of North Wales. By H. E. Forrest, 

 Lxxiv. 538 pp. Twenty-eight Plates and Map. 

 Witherby & Co. 17s. 6d." net. {Birds, pp. 67—418.) 



This very useful work marks a great advance in our knowledge 

 of the ornithology of North Wales. In these days when we 

 are overwhelmed with popular compilations of the tritest 

 nature on British birds, it is a relief to turn to an honest 

 attempt to work out the fauna of one of our neglected districts. 

 Until the last seven years or so, the amount of original work 

 done west of the Marches was lamentably small, in spite of 

 the fact that it is ornithologically one of the most interesting 

 parts of the British Isles ; but latterly Mr. Forrest has had 

 the assistance of several energetic workers, amongst A^hom 

 we may specially mention Messrs. Aplin, Cummings, Coward, 

 and Oldham, and with their help the bird-life of Anglesey 

 and Carnarvon, hitherto almost unknown, has been thoroughly 

 investigated. Montgomery, too. has remained terra incognita 

 until the publication of the present work, and the convenience 

 of having all these records brought together in a form available 

 for reference can hardly be over estimated. 



The book is planned somewhat on the lines of Ussher's 

 well-known work on the " Birds of Ireland" ; the general dis- 

 tribution being described briefly in a few \\ ords at the head of 

 each article, and treated at greater length below ; ^^■hile details 

 of occurrences are given under the head of the different counties. 

 These latter would, howevei-, have been more intelligible 

 if geographical order had been more strictly adhered to, and 

 several notes from Aberystwyth are included under the 

 heading of " Merioneth." 



In nomenclature the author is scarcely consistent, for he 

 retains the Linnsean specific names when treating of the 

 Mammals, but elects to follow Saunders' list when writing on 

 the birds. Our insular races of Wagtail are therefore regarded 

 as separate species. In view of recent literature on the 

 subject, it is somewhat disappointing to find that no clue is 

 given as to whether the " Marsh-Tits " of the eastern counties 

 belong to the dull-headed Willo\^-Tit or the glossy-headed 

 British race of the true Marsh-Tit. 



The great value of the book, however, lies in the details 

 which are given as to the distribution of many of the Passeres. 

 So long has elapsed since the publication of the earlier volumes 

 of the Fourth Edition of Yarrell that it is not surprising to 



