Recently published Ornithological Works. 245 



species, and a number of woodcuts from the ' Birds of New 

 Zealand ' are reproduced. 



51. BiittiJcofer on Birds from the Congo and S.W. Africa. 



[On Birds from the Congo and South- Western Africa. By J. Biitti- 

 kofer. Notes Lejden Mus. x. p. 209.] 



The author gives an account of about 300 specimens of 

 birds made by Mr. P. J. van der Kellen in the region of the 

 Upper Cuneui river, and east of it in the valleys of the Oka- 

 vango and Umbella rivers. During a short stay on the 

 Lower Congo the same collector procured examples of 13 

 species, of m hich a separate list is given. Mr. van der Kellen's 

 headquarters were at Humpata, the colony of the Trek- 

 Boers. Neocichla kelleni, from the Umbella river, and Ploce- 

 passer rufo-scapulatus , from the Kasinga river, are described 

 and figured as new. 



52. Chapman's 'Bird-life of the Borders.' 



[Bird-life of the Borders ; Eecords of Wild Sport and Natural History 

 on Moorland and Sea. By Abel Chapman. London, 1889 : Gurney & 

 Jackson.] 



Our brother-member, Mr. Abel Chapman, whose " Contri- 

 butions to the Ornithology of Spain ^^ (Ibis, 1884*, pp. 66 et 

 seqq., 1888, pp. 444 et seqq.) all our readers will recollect 

 with pleasure, has in this volume collected a number of his 

 fugitive papers, which have appeared from time to time as 

 newspaper articles, and has embellished it with more than fifty 

 " rough pen-and-ink drawings '"' by himself, reproduced by 

 photo-zincography, and " intended to serve as character- 

 sketches rather than as portraits,'" but having, he tells us, 

 " no pretensions either to scientific accuracy or artistic merit."' 

 As to the last quality we do not profess to give an opinion, 

 but the sketches are nearly all spirited and convey the idea of 

 life in a way that the professional artist often fails to do — one 

 only (that on page 170) can we call bad, but most of them 

 have great merit. As to the text, it is written rather from the 

 sportsman's than from the naturalist's point of view ; but it is 



