Reviews , Notices, etc.



239



Woodpecker, and Grey Wagtail. The Teneriffe Blue-tit is quite

as lively as his English cousin, but he was not sharp enough to

evade Mr. Harris’ lens, and a beautiful portrait is the result.

The Teydean Chaffinch is peculiar to Teneriffe, and was met with

in the pine-forests on the higher slopes of the mountains, but it

is a late breeder, and the author was consequently too early to

obtain a photo of the nest.


I11 the second part of the book Mr. Harris takes his

readers to South Africa, where many birds and their nests were

successfully photographed. In the reeds that border the streams

Weaver-birds are exceedingly abundant, and the observations

on their nest-building will especially interest aviculturists.


The descriptions of the places visited and of the habits

and customs, both of the people and the birds, are written with

considerable literary skill, and the book, which is beautifully got

up and printed, is throughout very interesting, and especially

commends itself to those contemplating a visit to either the

Canaries or South Africa. We reproduce on the accompanying

plates a few of the photos from this book.



OPEN-AIR STUDIES IN BIRD EIFE.*


This volume is one of the “ Open-air Studies ” series

which is being brought out by Messrs. Charles Griffin. The

author is Mr. Charles Dixon, who is too well-known as an

ornithological writer to need any introduction to our members.

He informs us, in the Preface, that the present volume “has been

written with the express object of furnishing a popular intro¬

duction to the study of ornithology by visits to British birds in

their homes,” and after a perusal of the book we have come to

the conclusion that the author has very successfully achieved

his object. The arrangement followed is somewhat novel, the

book being divided into chapters dealing with the various

haunts of the birds ; thus one chapter deals with “ The spacious

air,” another with “Woodlands,” a third with “The sands and



Open-air Studies in Bird Life: Sketches of British Birds in their haunts, by Charles

Dixon. London, Charles Griffin and Co.. Ltd., Exeter Street, Strand (1903). Price, 7/6.



