VOL. XIV.] REVIEWS. 239 



higher standard than those in the first series ; most of them 

 give some idea of the natural surroundings of the bird or 

 its nest under natural conditions, but the plate of the Spoonbill 

 (pi. 40) is rather an unfortunate exception. 



On one point we must condole with Mr. Coward, namely, 

 that his work has been published at a time when our nomen- 

 clature is in a transitional stage. We have agreed on the 

 rules under which oiu' names shall be fixed, and the period 

 of research among the older authors and consequent changes 

 is drawing to a close. On the other hand, the results of these 

 investigations have not yet been incorporated into many 

 of our standard works, and the constant attention of a 

 specialist in this department is needed to keep any list 

 up-to-date. Under these circumstances it is inevitable that 

 some of the names employed in this work cannot stand, but 

 these cases are not numerous enough to cause any serious 

 inconvenience. 



'Sh. Coward's notes have the freshness of the original 

 observer's work in most cases, but a wide knowledge of the 

 literature is also absolutely essential, and occasionally we 

 miss the results of other workers in the same field. Howard 

 Saunders's description of the soft parts of the Grey Lag can 

 scarcely now be maintained ; the recent breeding of the 

 Whooper in Scotland is overlooked ; while eight to ten 

 eggs can scarcely be said to represent the variation in the 

 number of eggs laid by the Tufted Duck. The facts with 

 regard to the breeding of the Long-tailed Duck in Orkney 

 are not quite correctly given on page 62 : the matter was 

 investigated on the spot by the Rev. J. R. Hale and Mr. 

 T. P. Aldworth and the results were reported in British Birds, 

 Vol. VH., p. 205. Although the Spoonbill frequently feeds 

 out on open mud flats, it is decidedly secretive in its breeding 

 habits, and its nests are usually among reeds ten feet or more 

 in height. It is incorrect to state that the Green Sandpiper 

 is the only regular arboreal nester of the group, for this 

 description applies equally to the Solitary Sandpiper. It is 

 also misleading to state, as is done on page 244, that the 

 Gull -billed Tern " breeds on the western shores of Europe 

 from Denmark to Spain." We have met with it breeding in 

 Denmark and also in south Spain, but do not beheve that it 

 nests anywhere on the western shores of Europe between 

 these two places. Probably 74 represents the number of 

 known eggs of the Great Auk more accuratel}' than 63 as 

 stated on page 266. Perhaps in a future edition Mr. Coward 

 may be able to incorporate these corrections. 



