REVrW5 



Avifauna Spitzbergensis. Forschiingreisen nach der Bdren- 

 Iiisel unci dem Spitzbergen-ArcMpel, mit ihren faunistisch- 

 en und floristischen Ergehnissen. Herausgegeben und 

 verfasst von Alexander Koenig, Bonn, 1911. (Spezieller 

 Teil. Bearbeitet von Dr. 0. le Roi, pp. 113-294.) 

 Berlin : W. Junko 120 Marks. 



The results of Professor Koenig's three expeditions to Spits- 

 bergen in 1905, 1907, and 1908, are enshrined in the handsome 

 volume which now lies before us, copiously illustrated by 

 numerous coloured plates, photogravures, and illustrations 

 in the text. As the work extends to 294 pages (12f by lOJ in.) 

 it will readily be seen that it is much more than an account 

 of the scientific results and incidents connected with these 

 voj^ages. The first 110 pages are indeed devoted to chrono- 

 logical accounts of the three expeditions, from the pen of 

 Professor Koenig, and contain also many notes and observa- 

 tions on bird- life, but Dr. le Roi is responsible for the " Special 

 Pp.H," with which we are more directly concerned. 



First comes a very complete bibliography of Bear Island 

 and the Spitsbergen Archipelago from 1598 to 1910. with 

 critical notes. This is an extremely sound and valuable 

 piece of work, extending to tAventy pages, and is followed 

 by a list of the thirty- six species which have been recorded 

 from Bear Island, with their status. A similar list of the 

 fifty- two species recognized from Spitsbergen follows, about 

 twenty-five of which have been ascertained to breed there 

 regularly. Dr. le Roi then proceeds to treat each species 

 in detail, giving an abstract of what has previously been 

 recorded, together with critical remarks on the specimens 

 obtained, as mcII as interesting field-notes and full descriptions 

 of the eggs and nests obtained. One or two of these articles 

 have special interest for English naturalists, among which 

 the following may be mentioned : — 



Kolthoff's isolated record of the Red-necked Phalarope, 

 Phalaropus hyperhoreus, was confirmed by the acquisition of 

 a pair of birds in the delta of Advent Bay on June 29th- 30th, 

 1907, and as the ovary of the hen contained well- developed 

 eggs, there is little doubt that they were about to breed there. 

 Although Sabine's Gull, Xema sabinii, had prcA^iously been 

 met with in the Spitsbergen group in the breeding-season, it 

 had not been proved to nest there till Dr. le Roi found a nest 

 with two eggs on July 7th, 1907, from which the parents were 



