1 58 Recent/?/ published Ornithological Works. 



20. Gates and Re/ ft on Birds' tiggs. 



[Catalogue of the Collection of Birds' Eggs in the British Museum 

 (Natural History). Vol. III. CarinatSB (Psittaciformes — Passeriformes). 

 By Eugene W. Oates, assisted by Capt. Savile G. Reid. London: 1903. 



Price 25s.] 



Owing to the unfortunate illness of Mr. Oates (the author 

 of the first two volumes of this Catalogue), the MS. of the 

 third volume, which he had nearly finished, has heen finally 

 revised by Capt. Savile lieid, whose qualifications for such 

 a task are well known. The general style and arrangement 

 are exactly the same as those of the two previous volumes. 



The order observed is, as before, that of the Hand-list ; and 

 after the name of the species only a few synonyms, specially 

 referring to nests and eggs, are given. Then follows a 

 description of the c^ and a list of the specimens of it in 

 the British Museum, with localities, dates, and authorities. 

 Under the headings of the Orders, Families, and sometimes 

 Genera short remarks are inserted concerning the charac- 

 teristic shape, structure, and colour of the eggs of the 

 members of the groups in question : and these are particulars 

 on which, we think, a little more information might have 

 been given. For instance, in the case of the Irrisoridse, 

 although the eggs of this important Family are not repre- 

 sented in the series, it would have been easy to call attention 

 to a desideratum in a few lines, and to say how important 

 it is to fill up this hiatus valde dejiendus ! 



The third volume of the i Catalogue of Eggs ' commences 

 with the Parrots, and carries us on through what for shortness 

 (at least) we may still call the Picarians. The Mesomyodian 

 Passeres are taken next, and then comes the commencement 

 of the Oscines. The eggs of 907 species (represented by 

 8474 specimens) are described in this volume. Ten well- 

 coloured plates illustrate some of the most remarkable forms. 

 But we may venture to express a regret that each plate should 

 not have been confined to the eggs of a particular group, 

 with the names of the species printed on the plates instead 

 of being " explained " in a separate list of figures. 



