gi | Recent Literature. Dee 
The two volumes before us cover the water birds (except the Stegano- 
podes and one plate of Herons, which appeared in Vol. 2), the Gallinaceous 
Birds and Pigeons. The Ducks, Pheasants and Grouse give the artist his 
best opportunities and he has prepared some superb plates. As in all 
such works the pleasure which we derive from the beautiful pictures is 
mingled with regret that it is not possible to give each species a plate to 
itself instead of having to crowd so many together. This is, of course, not 
the artist’s fault and as we said in connection with the earlier volumes he 
has displayed wonderful ability in grouping his subjects, so that each plate 
appears as a single finished painting, while each figure is displayed to the 
best possible advantage. 
All in all we think that Mr. Thorburn’s work will ‘alee its place as the 
best series of colored illustrations of British birds that has yet appeared, 
and is a work that should be in all reference libraries. It will appeal 
moreover to many lovers of the beautiful in art and in illustration, to whom 
birds are of only secondary interest.— W. 8. 
Evans’ ‘ Birds of Britain.’ !— “ This little work’ we are told in the 
preface “though primarily intended for schools, may be found useful by 
those who require a short hand-book which includes the results of the most 
resent observations.” With sucha plan and with an author of Mr. Evans’ 
reputation and ability we are led to expect an authoritative and thoroughly 
up-to-date treatise. This expectation has apparently been realized in the 
main text, but a perusal of the introductory chapter covering the more 
general principles of ornithology, is decidedly disappointing. 
In his treatment of migration the author has nothing to say of the work 
of the late W. W. Cooke, while he seems to be quite ignorant of the experi- 
ments of Dr. J. B. Watson, with terns on the Dry Tortugas islands, which 
have probably thrown more light on the subject of migration than any other 
recent investigation. The time-honored causes of migration — changes 
of temperature and abundance of food supply — are cited, but no mention 
is made of periodic physiological activities; while the statement. that 
“Hardy birds such as Penguins... .need hardly migrate at all,’’ does not 
aecord with the accounts of the recent Antarctic expeditions, in which 
regular migrations covering hundreds of miles, from the pack ice to the 
nesting grounds, are described. 
The half-tone illustrations are of varying merit and unfortunately we are 
not told which are photographs from nature and which from mounted 
specimens. In some the figures are so minute as to be of little value and 
this obscurity has led to the printing of the cut of the Spotted Flycatcher 
upside down. 
The book will, however, prove of much value in spreading a knowledge 
of the British avifauna, which after all is its chief object.— W. S. 
1The Birds of Britain, their Distribution and Habits. By A.H. Evans. Cambridge, 
1916. Small 8vo., pp. 1-275, numerous text figures. $1.25. (G. P. Putnam’s Sons.) 
