Recently published Ornithological Works. 455 



subject — that is, tlie behaviour of birds when strange eggs 

 are introduced into their nests. We all know that a large 

 number of Passerine birds do not object to Cuckoos' eggs, 

 but it would seem that for some reason they are by no 

 means always ready to adopt the eggs of other species. Herr 

 Leverkiihn divides his theme into four heads : (1) as regards 

 eggs of the same species introduced by other birds; (2) as 

 regards such eggs introduced by man; (3) as regards eggs 

 of other species introduced by other birds ; (4) as regards 

 such eggs introduced by man ; and gives us a mass of details 

 under each head. We cannot exactly understand the drift 

 of Herr Leverkiihn's memoir as a whole, or make out that 

 he comes to any very definite conclusions on the subject. 

 But the habits of our feathered friends are always interesting 

 under any aspect, and the essay will be read with pleasure 

 by many students of bird-life. 



A complete resume of references to the nesting-habits of 

 the Megapodes, introduced as a footnote (pp. 36-45), is a 

 very useful compilation. 



81. Lilford's ' Coloured Figures of British Birds/ 



[Coloured Figures of the Birds of the British Islands, Issued by Lord 

 Lilford, F.Z.S. &c., President of the British Ornithologists' Union. 

 Part XI., September 1889; XII., January 1890; XIII., March 1890; 

 XIV., May 1890; XV., July 1890; XVI., September 1890; XVII., 

 February 1891. 8vo. Loudon.] 



We have been rather remiss, it may well be said, in not 

 having chronicled the regular appearance of our President's 

 series of illustrations of British Bird-life during the two 

 years last past. Our last notice (Ibis, 1889, p. 386) related 

 to Parts V. to X . We have now to record the issue of seven 

 more parts, each containing 12 beautiful chromo-lithographs 

 and the accompanying letterpress. 



It is hardly necessary to state that the work is appreciated 

 by the public as its merits deserve. It is sufiicient, indeed, 

 to point to the fact that the entire edition is already sub- 

 scribed for, and that a second edition is in preparation. 

 After this experience it can be no longer said that birds are 



