768 Recently published Ornithological Works. [Ibis, 



forward in every way the interests of science. Of such 

 men we have too few^ and his death leaves us Avith a sense 

 of irreparable loss. F. C. R. Joukdain. 



We also regret to learn of the recent death of 

 Mr. William Brewster of Cambridge, Mass., U.S.A., 

 a Founder of the American Ornithologists^ Uuion and one 

 of the best known of American ornithologists. We hope to 

 have a notice of him in the next number of ' Tiie Ibis.' 



XXXIV, — Notices of recent Ornithological Publications. 



An A. B. C. of Common Birds. 



[An A. 13. C. of Common Birds. A pocket guide to tlie commoner 

 inland liirds of Britain. Pp. 1-G4. Price Qd., by post 7d. Published 

 by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, 2o Queen Anne's 

 Gate, S.W.] 



Tins little work in pamphlet form has recently been 

 issued by the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, and 

 will doubtless be found very useful. The commoner British 

 birds are arranged in alphabetical order, and with each 

 is given a few words of description to assist in identification. 

 The brief notes on the food-habits are arranged under 

 " pro." or " con.'', according to whether the birds may be 

 regarded useful or injurious to the farmer or gardener. In 

 many cases a quotation from a recognized authority on the 

 relation of birds to agriculture has been added. Only in 

 the case of three or four l)irds is the general verdict un- 

 favourable, and in these cases it is owing to their excessive 

 numbers. We notice that very little is said about the 

 merits or otherwise of the Little Owl, on which there has 

 lately been a good deal of correspondence in the ' Times.' 

 The Starling, Sparrow-Hawk, Wood-Pigeon, and Hawfinch 

 all come in for a certain amount of condemnation. On the 

 whole a very just balance is maintained, and Ave hope that 



