Recently published Ortiitlioloyical Works. 273 



uncompromising data show that such intermigrations are the 

 rare exception and not the rule. Another fond fancy was 

 that the migrations of many species of birds depended upon 

 the direction of the wind ; but this is true only to a very 

 limited extent, and it is the temperature at the point of 

 departure which plays the most important part in the 

 seasonal movements. Practically the wind is not a factor, 

 for although all birds cannot fly in the teeth of an absolute 

 gale, they can sail uncommonly close to any reasonable 

 wind, and they do so. We must not, however, pick any more 

 valuable items out of this admirable treatise, and if any one 

 of our readers has not yet provided himself with it, we 

 should advise him to lose no time in obtaining this indis- 

 pensable work. 



39. Dresser's Supplement to the 'Birds of Europe.' 



[A History of the Birds of Europe, including all the Species inhabiting 

 the Western Palsearctic Kegion. Supplement. By H. E. Dresser, F.L.S., 

 F.Z.S., &c. Part IX. November, 1896.] 



With the ninth part of his Supplement to the * Birds of 

 Europe,^ Mr. Di'esser brings this important addition to our 

 knowledge of the Western Palsearctic avifauna to a successful 

 conclusion. A useful " List of Species which have been 

 recorded as having occurred in Europe," but which (for divers 

 good reasons) have not been recognized by Mr. Dresser, 

 follows the systematic portion, and a su|)plemcntarv list of 

 the publications referring to European ornithology issued 

 since the completion of the * Birds of Europe ' in 1881 is 

 given in the Introduction. We heartily congratulate our 

 friend and fellow-worker on thus concluding a long and 

 arduous undertaking, to which he has devoted many years 

 of patient labour. 



The following species are figured in Part IX. : — 



Francolinus bicalcaratus. Oceanodroma cryptoleuciira. 



Grus antigone. Pufiinus obscurus. 



Lobivanellus indicus. (Estrelata mollis. 



Triuga acuminata. Colymbus adamsi. 

 Lams Philadelphia. 



