Vol. X 



I'gii^'] Reviews. 347 



qualified in regard to the colouring of some of the figures, which 

 is not quite satisfactory ; but with the process of reproduction 

 used this was probably unavoidable. Perhaps the best plate is 

 that depicting a pair of Spotted Bower-Birds {Chlamydodera 

 maculata) and their bower. 



["Foreign Birds for Cage and Aviary," 2 vols., 4to, in cloth. Part I., " Smaller 

 Foreign Birds," post free, 6s. 4d. ; Part II., "Larger Foreign Birds," post free, 

 7s. lod. The Feathered IVor/d Office, 9 Arundel-street, Strand, London, W.C] 



No author having come forward to do similar work for British 

 aviculturists to that performed by the late Dr. Karl Russ for 

 their German brethren, Dr. A. G. Butler, F.L.S., F.Z.S., &c., 

 decided to supply the long-felt need. He has kept and studied 

 in captivity more than 200 species of foreign birds, and is there- 

 fore eminently qualified to undertake a task of this kind. That 

 Dr. Butler has succeeded admirably may be easily judged by an 

 inspection of the work, which consists of two quarto volumes of 

 closely-printed matter, describing about a thousand species of 

 birds. 



In order to render the work instructive as well as useful to 

 bird-keepers, Dr. Butler treats the relationships of the various 

 families, indicating their structural peculiarities. He has devoted 

 a considerable time to collating information respecting the wild 

 life of the various species, which necessarily entailed much re- 

 search, not to mention expense, on his part. 



The plan of this work has been carefully thought out — each 

 family is first treated, every group follows in its natural order, 

 each species is represented by its popular and scientific name, a 

 careful description, the various habitats, an account of the wild 

 life (when obtainable), and, lastly, observations on its behaviour 

 and treatment in captivity. The text is interspersed with about 

 140 illustrations, mostly from the pencil of Mr. A. F. Lydon, but 

 a few by the author, and others reproduced from photographs, 

 with a frontispiece in colours to each volume, the coloured plate 

 to vol. ii. being an Australian bird — the little " Budgerigar " 

 [MelopsiUaciis undulatjis). However, the illustration represents 

 the birds as being more yellowish than they usually seem in the 

 open — the yellow is probably accounted for by in-breeding in 

 captivity. Another interesting and artistic plate is " A Group of 

 Cockatoos," while many other Australian birds are figured. 



In their proper places, the following groups or species of Aus- 

 tralian birds are treated comprehensively : — 



Vol. I. — Spotted Pardalote (P. fiinctatus), called "Panther- 

 Bird " ; Honey-eaters {MeliphagidcB), Grass-Finches, &c., Ground- 

 Thrushes {Geocichla), Pied Grallina {G. picata). White-eyes 

 (Zosterops), and Wood-Swallows {ArtamidcB). Vol. II. — Bee- 

 eater {Merops), Bower-Birds [PtilonorhynchidcB), Cockatoos 

 {Cacatuidce), Crow-like birds {CorvidcB) — including Strepera, Mag- 



