232



Our Hon. Business Secretary



suggested the training of Cormorants so that they might fly to the

attack and destruction of the munition works of the notorious Krupp.


There is some gold in newspaper cuttings, but there is much

ornithological dross ; yet even this Mr. Gladstone has wisely retained,

for behind the strange suggestions of letters to the Press we see an

epitome of war feelings, of the panic of ignorant minds vvho, losing

faith in themselves, trusted to the birds to see them through.


W. Eagle Clarke.


A Practical Handbook of British Birds. Edited bv H. F.


Witherby. In eighteen Parts. Illustrated. London : Witherby.


and Co. Price 4.9. net per Part.


This fine work must surely by now have become an avicultural

classic ; once more, on receipt of the fourth instalment, we recognize

all the features which made the previous sections so delightful. The

present number deals with Wagtails, Creepers, Tits, Goldcrests, and

Shrikes ; it is again adorned with two fine plates from the magic

hand of Mr. Gronvold. To praise these is almost an impertinence ;

suffice it to say that they are indeed worthy of the artist, for we can

almost see the Titmice move, and hear their cry “ Teacher ! teacher !

teacher ! ” as we examine them in the coloured plate opposite p. 232.

In the letterpress the oologist will find a valuable hint (p. 217) in

diagnosing the eggs of the British Tree-creeper, while the stout

workmanlike beak of the Nuthatch is well rendered on p. 222.


It is unfortunate that the authors in their zeal for nomenclature

do not adopt a uniform standard of spelling ; thus we find “ briffanica ”

on p. 214 and “ brhamdea ” on p. 233. The beak of the Creeper on

p. 215 is much too feeble.


G. R.



OUR HON. BUSINESS SECRETARY


We deeply regret to report that owing to ill-health Miss R.

Alderson is resigning the post of Hon. Business Secretary, which she

has so ably filled during a very difficult time in the history of the

Society.



