^°^m4"'^^] Recent Literature. 259 



RECENT LITERATURE. 



Millais' * British Diving Ducks.' ^ — The literature of ornithology more 

 than that of anj^ other branch of zoology is noteworthy for the splendidly 

 illustrated folios and quartos which combine in such a pleasing way the 

 labors of the artist and naturalist. It is gratifying to know that the day of 

 such works is not yet passed — indeed the latest addition to this class of 

 hterature, Mr. Millais' ' British Diving Ducks,' has few equals in point 

 of beauty of illustration, while the text is far ahead of the older illustrated 

 works in its comprehensive and scientific treatment of the subject. 



There are charming colored plates of the adult birds by Thorburn, 

 figures of the * eclipse plumages ' by O. Murray Dixon, and of the young 

 by Gronvold, while reproductions in monochrome of paintings, mainly by 

 the author, illustrate flocks of ducks in action, especially, in courting dis- 

 plays which are extremely attractive and instructive. Photographic 

 reproductions taken direct from skins illustrate changes of plumage with 

 great detail. 



The habits of the several species are described quite fuUy and with 

 abundant quotations from the works of European and British authors. 

 We notice here and there however a tendency to carelessness in matters of 

 quotation, mis-spelling of names of authorities, etc., while the literature of 

 the subject especially as regards American writers has not been so exhaus- 

 tively covered as one would desire in a work such as Millais has brought out. 



In nomenclature he follows the latest hst of British birds except that he 

 includes Steller's Eider in the genus Somateria and groups together the 

 Golden-eyes, Bufflehead, Old-squaw and Harlequin under Clangula, — 

 being thus an extremist among generic ' lumpers.' No less than six races 

 of the Eider are mentioned, one being the very distinct S. dresseri usually 

 regarded as a species, while others are so sUghtly differentiated as to be in- 

 distinguishable — at least from the data presented. For example a new 

 form, S. mollissima britannica, is described as smaller than mollissima or 

 borealis and larger than fceroeensis with the bill dull olive green above, 

 shading into French blue-gray below, and again into pale yellowish near 

 the nail. The bill of mollissiina is given as olive green. No subspecies 

 are discussed under other species and no other new names are proposed. 



1 British I Diving Ducks. | By |J. G. Millais, F. Z. S., M. B. O. U., Etc. | Author 

 of "The Mammals of Great Britain and Ireland," "Newfoundland | and its 

 Untrodden Ways," "The Natural History of British Surface-1 Feeding Ducks," 

 "The Wild Fowls in Scotland," "The Natural 1 History of British Game-Birds" 

 etc. I Vol. I. With thirty-two plates (twenty-two of which are coloured) | by 

 Archibald Thorburn, O. Murray Di.xon, H. Gronvold | and the Author | Long- 

 mans, Green and Co. | 39 Paternoster Row, London 1 New York, Bombay, and 

 Calcutta I 1913 I all rights reserved. Large 4°. pp. 1-141. 



Vol. II I with forty-two plates (seventeen of which are coloured) pp. 1-164. 

 £l2 12s. for the two volumes. 



