I06 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



usually supposed, and that the males fight in spring not so 

 much for the females as For the command of a particular 

 locality. Moreover, lie believes that the cock's song may 

 be primarily intended for a challenge, and that bright colours 

 may act as " warnings " to rivals. We confess, however, 

 that we are unable to understand where all Mr. Moffat's 

 impaired birds hide themselves, nor can we agree that all 

 the available breeding-stations are fully occupied. Mr. Nevin 

 II. foster continues his observations on the weight of birds' 

 eggs, and adds thirteen species to his former list. Among 

 the rarities the most important is Acroce/Jialus aquaticus, 

 the firsi specimen recorded for Ireland, received by Mr. R. 

 M. Harrington from the Hull Rock lighthouse, where it 

 struck the lantern on September 20th last. This is yet 

 another instance of the value of these lighthouse- and 

 lightship-observations which Mr. Barrington has fostered. 

 The occurrence of a Great Bustard, the discovery of remains 

 of the Great Auk in Co. Clare, and the migrations of the 

 White Wagtail are among the many records worthy of 

 notice. — H. S. 



17. Loudon's Ornithological Journey m (:<>nlr<il Asm. 



Ergebnisse einer ornithologischen Sanmielreisi: nach Zentral-Asion 

 (1901). Yon Earald, Baron Loudon. Ornith. Jahrb. IW1-3.] 



Baron Loudon has kindly sent us a separate copy of an 

 account of his adventurous ornithological journey into 

 Central Asia, which has appeared in several n umbers of the 

 ' Ornithologisehes Jahrbuch,' and we have looked through 

 it with much interest. The author travelled by way of 

 the Caucasus to Baku, and crossing the Caspian to Krass- 

 novodsk traversed the trans-Caspian railway to Merv, stopping 

 at several selected stations on the line. From Merv an ex- 

 cursion was made southwards along the branch-line to 

 Kuschk, and the Russo-Persian frontier-lands were explored. 

 It is obvious that the numerous observations on birds which 

 Baron Loudon made throughout his journey must be of 

 great interest to ornithologists, and we commend them to all 

 students of the Palaearctic Ornis. Baron Loudon frequently 



