168 Recently published Ornithulogical Works. 



author, togetlier uitli a good deal of other matter mostly 

 derived from unrevealed sources relating to the following 

 species : — Golden Eagle, White-tailed Eagle, Ospvey, Pere- 

 grine, Kestrel, Raven, Grey Crow, Ptarmigan, Black 

 Grouse, Red Grouse, Capercaillie, Woodcock, Snipe, 

 Goosander, Curlew, Greenshank, Golden Plover, Dotterel, 

 Oyster-catcher, Snow-Bunting, Dipper, Crested Titmouse, 

 Sandpiper, and Dunlin, in the order given. Not a very 

 scientific arrangement, and it is difficult to see why some of 

 these should have been included among the " Hill Birds " 

 to the exclusion of others. A few good photographs are 

 reproduced illustrating some of the birds, their nests, and 

 the surrounding sceaery. 



There is nothing told about these " Hill Birds " which is 

 new^ or of special interest, and the author would have been 

 ■wiser had he omitted discussions on subjects of which he 

 has evidently no real knowledge and had confined himself to 

 his personal observations. Some of these will no doubt be 

 found interesting enough to the general reader, but unfor- 

 tunately he has interlarded his chapters with many travellers* 

 tales gathered from the hearsay of stalkers and such-like 

 sources, which should be accepted with caution. Take the 

 Golden Eagle as an instance. It is not clear whether such 

 stories as the encounter between a Fox and a Golden Eagle 

 (p. 12) ai'e thfe result of personal observation. Many of his 

 statements are obviously incorrect. It is solemnly suggested 

 that the presence or al>sence of markings on the eggs of the 

 (Toldeu Eagle may possibly denote the sex of the young 

 bird, though the author is not sure whether the spotted egg 

 contains a male or a female. " Deer, calves, and lambs are 

 taken also, though I cannot say I have ever come across 

 the remains of eithej- of these animals in an eyrie." Lambs 

 we have seen, and once a black water-vole, besides the usual 

 grouse and blue hares at the nest, but never deer and 

 calves ! The remains of " three hundred duck and forty 

 hares at one nest " sounds rather a tall order. 



AVc are also told " there is no bird has so wide a range as 



