Recently published Ornithological Works. 725 



uniting with S. leucorrhoa Gmel. and S. cenanthe L. only 

 S. phillipsi Shelley (of Somaliland) and S. seebohmi Dixon 

 (of Algeria). Why not join to them other allied forms or 

 species ? Besides these four, separated under " A. Forma? 

 capitales," there is a division " B. Formse subtiles," which 

 enumerates (a) five named and (b) six unnamed forms, based 

 partially on single specimens, so that the author himself is 

 doubtful as to the value of some of these " subtile" forms. 

 According to his present knowledge, the " Formenkreis " of 

 Saxicola borealis extends over fifteen forms. Anew head-name 

 becomes necessary for every " Formenkreis " — for example, 

 Erithacus poeta for the Nightingales, Erithacus dandalus for 

 the Robin, and Turdns bragi for the Song-Thrush ! 



But we have said enough. These few remarks will suffice 

 to give an idea of the principles of the " Formenkreis," the 

 scientific value and usefulness of which we leave our readers 

 to judge for themselves. — O. F. 



123. Krause's ' Palaarctic Oology.' 



[Georg Krauae. Oologia universalis palaearctica. Lief. 1. 4to. 

 Stuttgart, 1906. Price Is. 3d. net each part.] 



Of this work, to be completed in some 150 parts in about 

 two years, perhaps the best idea can be given by a quotation 

 from the prospectus : — " With this first part begins a work 

 which by his quite unique abundance of pictures true to 

 nature promises to be a fundamental and monumental ideal 

 work on palsearctic oology." 



The plates are somewhat uneven, those of the eggs of the 

 Golden Eagle and Song-Thrush being much better than 

 those of the Raven and Quail ; but, on the whole, we incline 

 to a sanguine view of them, and the number of varieties 

 figured will certainly be a most useful feature in the book. 

 The letterpress, which is on a card equal in size to each 

 plate, merely states the Latin, German, and English names, 

 the breeding-range, the localities affected, and brief details 

 of the nest and eggs. But we cannot understand why a 

 better translation of the German text was not secured, if 

 the English was to be given at all. What, for instance, 



