X920 J Recent Literature. 475 



Kirke Swann's 'Synoptical List of the Accipitres.' 1 — Part IV of this 

 work brings it to a conclusion and from the preface which accompanies 

 it we learn that it is largely based upon the late Dr. Bowdler-Sharpe's 

 'Catalogue of the Accipitres in the British Museum,' the author's an- 

 notated copy with his additions having been accessible to Mr. Swann; 

 and also upon Mr. W. L. Sclater's manuscript list of the specimens in 

 the Museum. While the author uses subspecies extensively he does not 

 seem to recognize intergradation as the criterion upon which they must be 

 distinguished from species since he recognizes three 'species' of our Amer- 

 ican Sparrow Hawks, all of which are usually regarded as subspecies of 

 sparverius. 



He also considers that the dark Gyrfalcons which visit Canada in winter 

 as young of F. rusticolus candicans rather than true rusticolus. 



While Mr. Swann's little work summarizes our present systematic knowl- 

 edge of the Accipitres it seems to indicate that much has still to be accom- 

 plished before we are prepared to satisfactorily monograph the group. — 

 W. S. 



Bibliography of British Ornithology. 2 — The third part of the 'Bio- 

 graphical Bibliography of British Ornithology' by Messrs. Mullens, Swann 

 and Jourdain contains the contributions to county ornithology from 

 Middlesex to Surry. One will gain some idea of the extent of the litera- 

 ture relating to the birds of the English counties when he finds that for 

 Norfolk alone the authors have listed 600 titles, while the number of addi- 

 tions each year is constantly increasing. Few of our states can show such 

 a bibliography while many of our counties are without any ornithological 

 notes whatever. This work serves as an excellent illustration of the 

 extent of intensive study of birds in Great Britian and the vast number 

 of persons who are interested and capable of publishing local notes of 

 value. Part four completes England and begins Wales. — W. S. 



Brook's 'The Buzzard at Home.' 1 — This little brochure is entitled 

 "British Birds Photographic Series" and is apparently the first of the 

 series. It consists of twelve excellent half-tone reproductions of photo- 

 graphs of the European Buzzard, its nest and young, with fourteen pages 



1 A Synoptical List of the Accipitres (Diurnal Birds of Prey). Part IV. Fal- 

 conidae and Pandiones. By H. Kirke Swan. London: John Wheldon & Co., 

 1920. Price 4s. 



2 A Geographical Bibliography of British Ornithology from the Earliest Times 

 to the end of 1918. Arranged under Counties, being a Record of Printed Books, 

 Published Articles, Notes and Records Relating to Local Avifauna. By W. H. 

 Mullens, H. Kirke Swann and Rev. F. R. C. Jourdain. Witherby & Co., 326 

 High Holborn, London. 1920. Part 3, 193-288; Part 4, 289-384. Price6s.net. 

 per part. 



1 The Buzzard at Home. By Arthur Brook, with 12 photographic plates. 

 London: Witherby & Co. Price 3/6. 



