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of even the end of the past century they would be unrecognizable.

I rejoiced to see our old friends TJria troile (or troille) and Aha tore!a

still in possession of their old names, and even the Black Guillemot,

though turned out of the genus TJria, still retains his specific title.

By the way, who was cruel enough to burden one of these beautiful

birds with the barbarous generic title of SynthJiboramphus ?


Arthur G. Butler.



An ABC of Common Birds : A Pocket Guide to the Commoner

Inland Birds of Britain. Royal Society for the Protection of

Birds, London, S.W. 1. Price 6 d.


This is an excellent little booklet, simple, practical, and good in

every way ; its source alone would commend it. Space is limited, but

every word is carefully chosen. Many sizable books on birds go miles

further, as it were, without giving such a sharp and vivid impression

as this diminutive work. It is a “ first aid ” to the study of birds,

and sets out to give “ short and simple descriptions from which they

may be identified by the unlearned, their local names, and brief notes

on the food they eat that may be regarded as ‘ pro ’ or 4 con ’ the

interests of husbandman and gardener ”. The description of some of the

songs is excellent, the Blackbird’s for example, flute-like, leisurely ;

a leading song bird,” the Tree Pipit’s, “ sweet, canary-like, with long

drawn, languishing final notes.” The description of some other songs

does not strike the ear quite so happily ; for example, those of the

three Buntings. This little work is a pocket guide of useful information,

and its author is obviously a careful field observer.


James J. Cash.



New List of Natural History Photographs. By W. J. Berridge,

F.Z.S. East Finchley: H. W. Simpson.


Those who have read the works of that early naturalist, Edward

Turner Bennett, will recollect that in the preface to his Gardens and

Menagerie of the Zoological Society delineated, he remarks that the book



