Recently published Ornithological Works. G29 



quite in agreement with his remark that "it seems highly 

 desirable that the question of limiting the establishment of 

 new subspecies or varieties by some generally accepted 

 criteria be considered " ; but the difficulty of so doing 

 lies, of course, in the words " generally accepted." 



142. Ussher on Irish Birds. 



[The Bird Fauna, of Ireland as affected by its Geography. By R. J. 

 Ussher. Bep. Brit. Assoc. 1902, pp. 658-660.] 



In this article Mr. Ussher gives a useful summary of the 

 effect of the geographical character of Ireland on the distri- 

 bution of its birds and on their occurrence in the country. 

 Isolated mountains and abundance of lakes are important 

 factors in the distribution, while the lack of manufactures 

 in many places, and the absence of persecution of birds, 

 apart from game, conduce greatly to the preservation of 

 rare species. 



Though the Common Buzzard, the Capercaillie, and the 

 Bittern are no longer to be found in the island, and Eagles, 

 Harriers, the Bed-throated Diver, and so forth are now 

 extremely rare, the Mistletoe-Thrush, Crossbill, Starling, 

 Magpie, Shoveler, Redshank, and Woodcock have decidedly 

 increased — not to mention other species — while the abun- 

 dance of suitable haunts make Waders, Ducks, Grebes, and 

 more particularly cliff-birds, exceptionally plentiful. 



The Irish coasts bear a certain resemblance as regards 

 their avifauna to those of Scotland, while the Common Gull 

 and the Red-breasted Merganser here find their most 

 southern breeding-quarters. 



Mr. Ussher also discusses the routes of migration of birds 

 with respect to Ireland. 



143. Wiylesivorth on St. Ki/don Hints. 



St. Kilda and its Birds. A Lecture delivered before the Liverpool 

 I'.inlnoi,.;,! Suri.'U <.n an Ornithological Expedition to the Bland in the 

 Summer of L902. By .1. Wiglesworth. Reprinted from the Trans. 

 Liverpool Biological Soc. 8vo. Liverpool, 1903. 69 pp 5 pla 



Price 2s.] 



Many books and articles have been written on St. Kilda and 



