56 Reviews. [Jj,,,^, 



he pilots is admirably built ; still, it can never dispense with a 

 pilot. But his voluntary adjustments are largely instinctive, and 

 even the niceties of adjustment that he has to learn must become 

 through habit almost automatic." The volume is furnished with 

 1 6 plates and many text figures, which are very helpful to the 

 reader. 



[" The Migration of Birds." By T. A. Coward, Cambridge. Tiie University 

 Press. 1912.] 



The migration of birds is ever a fascinating subject, and seemingly 

 mysterious, because little is understood regarding it. 



Mr. Coward's small but well-written brochure is welcome because 

 he has brought together some of the more important theories 

 and given prominence to ascertained facts. He deals with " The 

 Cause and Origin of Migration," " Routes," " Height and Speed 

 of Migration Flight," " Orientation and Route-Finding," " Distance 

 Travelled by Birds," &c., in a very lucid manner. Regarding 

 the direction and distance travelled, the author agrees with Mr. 

 Wells Cooke that no invariable rule, law, or custom apparently 

 exists, and that each species presents a separate problem, "to be 

 solved, for the most part, only by patient, painstaking observa- 

 tions and by the recognition of sub-species." 



The distances covered during migration by the Golden Plovers 

 are amazing. The American Golden Plover {Charadrius dominiciis) 

 nests along the Arctic coasts of North America, from Alaska to 

 Hudson Bay. As soon as the young are able to take care of them- 

 selves the birds migrate south-east to Labrador, where they fatten 

 for some weeks on the harvest of autumn fruits. A short journey 

 across the Gulf of St. Lawrence brings them to Nova Scotia. 

 Then a start is made for South America, some birds reaching the 

 Argentina, and, it is suspected, even Patagonia. Strange to 

 state, the return journey is more to the westward, across Bolivia, 

 towards Central America. From Yucatan the birds cross the 

 Gulf of Mexico, then travel up the Mississippi valley, and across 

 Canada to their northern breeding-grounds. Thus, the round 

 trip forms an enormous ellipse, having a minor axis of 2,000 miles 

 and a major axis stretching 8,000 miles — from Arctic America to 

 the Argentina. During this great migration feat it is thought 

 that the Plovers, under favourable conditions, attain the in- 

 credible speed of from 150 to 200 miles an hour. Coming near 

 home, the Eastern or Pacific Golden Plover (C. fulvits) is equally 

 interesting. This bird breeds on the northern shores of eastern 

 Siberia and on the Alaskan side of Behring Strait. It winters 

 on the mainland of south-eastern Asia and throughout Oceania, 

 including Australia and New Zealand. The flight of the Alaska 

 birds to the Hawaiian Islands is supposed to be one effort of 

 2,400 miles. 



This fascinating and instructive little book may be purchased 

 for IS. net in cloth or 2s, 6d. net in lambskin, 



