Recently published Ornithological Works. 597 



countries are also a feature of the book. The past history 

 of more than one species is of the greatest interest; and 

 in this connection we may mention the White-tailed Eagle, 

 the Raven, the Chough, the Bittern, the Black and lied 

 Grouse, and the "Manx" Shearwater (exterminated by 

 1827). There are two maps and fifty-one excellent illus- 

 trations, such as we are accustomed to expect in Mr. David 

 Douglas's publications. 



94. Reiser's ' Ornis Balcanica/ vol. iii. 



[Materialen zu einer Ornis Balcanica, berausgegeben vom Bosnicb- 

 berzegowiniscben Landes-Museum in Sarajevo. — III. Grieebenland und 

 die griecbiscben Inseln (niit ausnabine von Creta). Von Othmar Reiser, 

 Kustos am Bosn-berzeg. Landes-Mnseum. Wien,19U5. lvol. sm. folio. 

 Pp. 590.] 



Ten years ago the Balkan Peninsula was, ornithologically 

 speaking, one of the least-known portions of Europe. Thanks 

 to the energetic work of our Foreign Member, Dr. Othmar 

 Reiser, this sad condition of affairs has quite passed 

 away. A goodly series of four volumes was planned by 

 him some years ago for the illustration of the ' Ornis 

 Balcanica/ and we have now the third of them before us. 

 The first volume, relating to the Birds of Bulgaria, was 

 published in 1894 (see f Ibis/ 1895, p. 289); the second, on 

 the Birds of Montenegro, in 189G (see ' Ibis/ 1897, p. 280) ; 

 and the third, with an account of the Birds of Greece, 

 appeared at the close of last year. There remains only the 

 fourth volume, on the Birds of Bosnia and Herzegovina, to 

 complete the series. 



Dr. Reiser, although he enjoyed the potent assistance 

 of the veteran Dr. Krueper, did not sit still in his Museum 

 at Sarajevo to compile his volume on the birds of Greece 

 from other persons' notes, but took the field himself to 

 explore its most interesting avifauna, and made three 

 expeditions for that purpose in 1894, 1897, and 1898, 

 besides employing the assistance of many excellent col- 

 lectors in different places. The result was a series of 

 1617 specimens, referable to 294 species. 



