'^ol-XXVIIJ Recent Literature. 231 



clature, for the convenience of those who practically confine their studies 

 to British birds, that system has been adhered to, so far as possible, which 

 was adopted by the late Howard Saunders in the second edition of his well- 

 known 'Illustrated Manual of British Birds' [1899], together with the 

 revisions made by the same author in his ' List of British Birds revised to 

 July, 1907.'" The author so far departs from this system, however, as to 

 admit trinomials where two or more races of the same species have occurred 

 in Kent ; and it is perhaps an open question whether it would not have been 

 more in the interest of his local readers if he had also employed the approved 

 modern technical names in place of those that merely recall a former phase 

 of nomenclature, giving also, if considered desirable, the names preferred 

 by Saunders. Otherwise how will the currently approved names of to-day 

 ever become known to the class of readers the author is so solicitous to 

 serve? 



The "economic aspects" of the species are among the topics especially 

 included within the author's scope, and on turning to his account of the 

 Starling we find the foUowng statement, which seems of sufficient interest 

 to warrant its presentation in the present connection, since we now have 

 this bird with us, "for better or for worse." He says: "From an agricul- 

 tural standpoint the Starling is a most useful and valuable bird, and it is 

 important in a county like Kent that this should V)e thoroughly recognized; 

 it is true that in the fruit-growing districts they do a considerable amount 

 of damage to the cherry crop, and it appears desirable that their nimabers 

 in these districts should be kept within reasonable limits, and this is done 

 by a systematic thinning every season, though in view of this bird's migra- 

 tory habits this can only be effective if done in the breeding season. 

 Elsewhere they do nothing but good, devouring enormous numbers of 

 wireworm, cranefly and cockchafer larvse, besides feeding at certain 

 times of the year on the perfect insects themselves, particularly the 

 cranefly. I for one offer them every encouragement in the way of nest- 

 ing boxes, to which they very readily take." 



In the British Islands and in western Europe the StarUng is a migratory 

 bird, the breeding birds of Kent, with their young beginning (at least in 

 part) to leave late in July, and the autumn emigration is continued until the 

 middle of September; while the "return of the summer breeding stock 

 begins at the end of February and lasts throughout March to early April." 

 The Starling is present, however, in Kent, as in other parts of England, 

 throughout the year, the winter population arriving from central Europe 

 mostly during October. It is interesting to note that the colonies of Star- 

 lings that have recently become established in the United States, particu- 

 larly those about New York city, are non-migratory, merely assembling 

 in flocks soon after the breeding season and extending their foraging trips 

 to the nearby adjacent country. 



In respect to the House Sparrow, Mr. Ticehurst considers the question 

 of its being harmful or useful an open one — "one of the burning questions 

 of the day" — and urges a scientific inquiry " under Government authority, 



