1922.] Recentlij publ'isJied OrnithnlogicanVorks. 207 



Witherbi/s Handbook of British Birds. 



[A Practical Handbook of British Birds. Edited Ijy II. F. Witherby. 

 Parts ix-.\ii. London (Witherby), 1920-1.] 



Since our last notice (Ibis, 19.20, p. 951) the parts of 

 this excellent ^ork on British Birds have been appearing 

 regularly, and the four before us forming the commence- 

 ment of the second volume contain accounts of the Picarians, 

 Owls, Accipitrines_, Herons, and Ducks. The standard set 

 up in the beginning is well maintained, and the information 

 in regard to each species appears to be remarkably complete, 

 especially in regard to the various plumages. We notice 

 that the Red-necked Nightjar, taken near Newcastle in 

 1856, is now assigned to the desert form, Caprimulgus 

 ruficolUs erlanfjeri, and that our Green Woodpecker is no 

 longer confined to our islands but is shared by Germany 

 and France, and must be called Picus viridis virescens 

 (Brehm), not P. v. phivius. On the other hand, our F^ittle 

 Owl, though doubtfully a native, has a new name, as it is 

 believed to have been introduced from Holland, not from 

 Germany, where the typical race occurs. Our Dutch sub- 

 species is At/iene noctua mira. 



There are two coloured plates in these four parts — one 

 illustrating the colour and markings of the bills of Swans 

 and Geese, the other the specula of our Ducks. There are 

 also many figures and sketches interspei'sed in the text 

 illustrating the difference between allied species and other 

 })oints of interest, all of which arc most useful and 

 instructive. There are still six more parts to appear to 

 complete the work. 



Wood and Green on Bird Economics. 



[Birds one should know — beneficial and mischievous. I^y the 

 Bev. Canon Theodore Wood, Illustrated by Roland Green, F.Z.S. 

 Pp. .\ii4-l''^2; 8 pis. in colour, 16 in black and white. London (Gay 

 and Hancock), 1921. 8vo.] 



This work deals with some thirty-three of the coninionor 

 species of liritish P)ir(ls, and contains more or less popular 

 notes on the habits and economic status of each. The 



