552 Recent III j,uhlished Omit linhiiical Works. [Ibis, 



1 'an Oort on the Birds of Holland. 

 [Ornithologica Neerlandica. De Vogels van Nedorland, door Dr. E. D. 

 van Oort. Pts. 3 & 4, pp. 57-120, pis. 21-40. 's (iravenbajie ( Xijlioli), 

 1918. 4to. Price 12^ Gld. each part.] 



The second iustalincnt of Dr. van Oort's great work on 

 liis native birds carries us through the Cormorants, Herons, 

 Storks, and Ibises to the Swans, Holland is fortunate in 

 retaining four of the birds here described as regular 

 breeders — the Little Bittern, the Bittern, tlie White Stork, 

 and the Spoonbill — all of which, exce|)t perhaps the Bittern, 

 which seems to be re-estal)lishiug itself, formerly bred in 

 the British Islands but have now left us. 



In the series of plates, not only are the adult males 

 and females but in many cases the young birds also are 

 represented. The most successful to our taste are the 

 Heron. Bittern, Stork, and Flamingo. In the more darkly- 

 coloured birds the reproduction does not appear to us to be 

 qxiite so successful, and the screens used in the photographic 

 processes seem tq be rather too coarse. On the whole, we 

 see a decided improvement in the illustrations as compared 

 with those of the first two parts. 



White on Ornitliologicul Trips in Australia. 

 [Ooldea, on the East- West Railway. On the flooded ^rinray liiver, 

 and other sketches. By Captain S. A. Wiiite. Pp. 1-88 ; many photos. 

 Adelaide [1918]. Svo.] 



In this little booklet Captain White recounts liis adven- 

 tures during three trips made by him along the great trunk 

 railway recently completed between Adelaide and Perth, 

 the respective capitals of South and West Australia. The 

 first one, performed in January 1917, was to the end of 

 the completed track just short of Ooldea, while the last one 

 in the following December was made after the line was 

 completed. Bird-life was very scarce owing to the dry 

 condition of the country, but efforts were made to inves- 

 tigate the advance of the English Sparrow, which though a 

 pest in South Australia is unknown in Western Australia, 



