88 The Oologists' Record, December 1, 1923. 



Professor Newton, in approving of this, goes the length of saying 

 that ' hardly any branch of the practical study of Natural History 

 brings the inquirer so closely in contact with many of its secrets.' 

 He refers to one of the scientific triumphs of the oologists — namely, 

 discerning, from the eggs, what Huxley confirmed anatomically, the 

 affinity between the Limicolae (Snipes and Plovers) and the Gaviae 

 (Gulls and Terns) . Eggs can be studied as scientifically as anything 

 else, and they have the fascination of great beauty of form and 

 colouring." 



Very interesting are the pages dealing with the coloration of eggs. 

 Summing up our knowledge of the problems presented by the. egg 

 of the Cuckoo, the author naively remarks : " But our ignorance far 

 exceeds our knowledge of the Cuckoo, and most other things." 



The book concludes with an able plea for the protection of birds 

 and a quotation from Ruskin's translation of what Socrates said 

 to Choerophon in regard to the Halcyon. Truly a book to read 

 and re-read and to have by one for constant reference. 



THE NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA : BIRDS. 



2 Vols. By F. W. Fitzsimoxs. London : Longmans, Green & Co., 



25s. net. 



At the first glance it is evident that this work is intended more 

 as a guide for the agriculturist than for the serious student of bird 

 life. This is regrettable, as there is such a need for more good books 

 on the birds of South Africa. 



The whole of the first volume consists of reiterated pleas for the 

 protection of birds on account of their economic value, with lengthy 

 reports of what is being done in other countries in this connection. 

 But birds of no economic value get scant mercy from the author, 

 for of the Mouse-birds — a most interesting group peculiar to Africa — 

 he says they " may be written off as ' vermin,' " and he describes 

 three methods of destroying them. Surely the toll these interesting 

 little birds take of fruit is not sufficient to warrant their extermina- 

 tion. Again, of the Eagles, he writes : " The Eagles are not of 

 " much economic value to man," and he adds, with no expression of 

 regret : " The larger Eagles will in time pass from the face of the 

 " earth." 



