VOL. xm.j REVIEWS. 228 



eventually providing an index to the various counties but we should 

 have welcomed breaks, to enable the addition of manuscript notes, 

 even at the cost of more paper. And, a propos of paper, it is to be 

 regretted that the book is printed on a paper of such an absorbent 

 nature that we have found it, to our annoyance, impossible to write 

 upon in ink : this fault is, of course, irremediable unless there is a 

 second edition. From a literary and utilitarian point of view the 

 book is more than welcome, for it will fill along felt want in the libraries 

 of all those who are serious students of British ornithology. — H.S.G. 



De Vogels van Nederland. Door Dr. E. D. van Oort {'s Gravenhage, 

 Nijhoff). Parts III.-V. 21s. 6d. per part. 



We have already described the plan of Dr. van Oort's fine work in 

 our review of Parts I. and II. (Vol. XII., p. 263). In parts III.-IV. the 

 author issues a correction regarding the use of brackets round authors' 

 names, the uniform use of the brackets being due to a printer's error. 

 Of the typical Cormorant (Phalacrocorax c. carbo) Dr. van Oort has 

 records of only two examples, but as this is the form which breeds in 

 the British Islands it has probably visited Holland more often. The 

 breeding form of Holland is identified by the author as Ph. c. sub- 

 cormoranus {cf. antea, Vol. X., p. 210). In the plate the birds are shown 

 as nesting in trees. Then follow the " Herons, " of which Holland is 

 fortunate enough to have as breeding species the Purple Heron, Night- 

 Heron, Little Bittern, Stork and Spoonbill, in addition to the Common 

 Heron and the Bittern, the only two which breed in this country. Part 

 V. contains the Geese. The plates, which form a great feature of this 

 fine work, are particularly useful as showing in most cases young and 

 winter plumages as well as the summer adult. 



Die Vogel der palaarktischen Fauna. Von Dr. E. Hartert. Vol II. 

 Part 3. London : Witherby & Co. 



We learn that this invaluable work is now to continue. Part 4 of 

 Volume II. being in the press. The pity of it is, from our point of 

 view, that the book is in the German language, but as it is by a very 

 long way the most authoritative work on the Palsearctic avifauna, 

 and is likely long to remain so, it cannot possibly be ignored by serious 

 students of ornithology. Part 3, which is now before us, was published 

 in Germany in October 1914 and contains the Eagles, I3uzzards, 

 Harriers, Goshawks, Sparrow-Hawks, Kites, Osprey and Vultures. 



A Handbook to the Vertebrate Fauna of North Wales. By H. E. Forrest. 

 (Witherby & Co.) 6s. net. 



The visitor to North Wales, who would hesitate to burden himself 

 with the bulky Vertebrate Fauna, can slip this handbook into his pocket 

 or bag. It will tell him briefly what is known about distribution, 

 bringing published information up to date. Twelve years ago the 

 " Fauna " appeared, and since then a number of workers have visited 

 and written about Wales, adding species and proving what was formerly 

 theory. West coast migration must now be recognized as of greater 

 importance than used to be admitted. Specially useful are the observa- 

 tions of Dr. N. F. Ticehurst and Mr. J. K. Stanford at Bardsey Island, 

 proving that the Ortolan, Wryneck and other unexpected species use 

 this western route. More frequent watching would modify and enlarge 

 our ideas. Of the resident workers Mr. R. W. Jones, by a constant 



