Recently published Ornithological Works. 257 



had the privilege of his acquaintance, or were familiar with 

 his formerly published writings, will feel confident of meeting 

 with what will interest and instruct them in his pages. 

 Lord Lilford himself never posed as one of the great 

 ornithological authorities of his day, and as such we should 

 not therefore attempt to portray him ; but for genuine and 

 careful work on the subjects which he took in hand he had 

 hardly an equal, while as a kindly and judicious supporter of 

 those who took a real interest in birds he will always be 

 exceptionally difficult to replace. 



Of his character as a true gentleman the letters now pub- 

 lished give evidence on almost every page, of his position as 

 a noted naturalist and ardent sportsman they are equally 

 convincing, while the simple and graceful style in which he 

 dilates upon items of local information, matters connected 

 with his aviaries, or facts gleaned upou his journeys, may 

 well make us forget how large a portion of his life was 

 passed under conditions which would hinder most of us from 

 serious work. In editing these letters, Mr. Trevor-Battye 

 has very wisely omitted only those paragraphs which deal 

 with purely personal matters or incidents of merely local 

 interest, and has included all that deal with natural history ; 

 while he has himself furnished a short account of otter- 

 hunting and has induced the Rev. G. E. Freeman to con- 

 tribute a description of falconry. 



The letters are grouped in chapters according to the 

 subjects ; and while all will be found of interest, perhaps the 

 greatest importance for ornithologists attaches to the Notes 

 from Mediterranean Journals — on which the papers in ' The 

 Ibis ' (1875-1887) were founded — and to the portions of the 

 work concerned with the well-known Lilford ponds and 

 aviaries, where so many rare birds lived and bred. Our 

 late President's life, his home, and his works (with their illus- 

 trations) are all fully treated, while the pages are enriched 

 by thirteen plates by Mr. A. Thorburn, including a portrait 

 of Lord Lilford, and many studies from life of birds in 

 the collection. 



SEB. VIII. — VOL. III. s 



