462 "Recently published Ornithological Works. 



to a somewhat similar work on the Surface-feeding Ducks 

 published some years ago. In the present volume he deals 

 with eleven species only — six Pochards (the Red-crested, 

 Common, and Baer's), the Ferruginous Duck, Tufted Duck, 

 and Scaup, all of which are included in the genus Nyroca ; 

 while the other five — Golden-eye, Barrow's Golden-eye, 

 Buff el-headed, Long-tailed, and Harlequin — are placed in 

 the genus Clangida. As in all Mr. Millais' works, the great 

 feature is the illustrations. Most of the adult birds are 

 painted by Mr. A. Thorburn, and each plate is a finished 

 picture, remarkable not only for the accuracy of the colour- 

 ing of the individual Duck, but for the artistic symmetry of 

 the whole surrounding; moreover, the plates have been 

 most beautifully reproduced by Frisch of Berlin. Perhaps 

 of even greater scientific value are the illustrations of eclipse 

 plumage and of the sequence of plumages, all of which are 

 described at great length in the text. 



Mr. Millais himself contributes a series of black-and- 

 white sketches of courtship attitudes and other incidental 

 views of duck-life, all remarkable for their vividness and 

 sense of energy. 



Mr. Millais still adheres to his views in regard to colour- 

 change in the fully-formed and adult feathers which have 

 been so often criticised and controverted. He does not 

 appear to bring forward any fresh evidence on the point, 

 nor does he seem to have much support from his friends 

 whose views he quotes. It is, of course, easy to understand 

 how a brilliant metallic sheen, due to interference and not 

 to pigment, can be dulled by wear, and how the abrasion of 

 the tips and edges of feathers may change the whole colour- 

 scheme of a bird ; but we are bound to confess that we fail 

 to understand how what Mr. Millais describes as " a fresh 

 rise of colour'^ can possibly take place in an adult feather 

 by any physical or physiological process yet known. We 

 congratulate Mr. Millais on his magnificent work, and shall 

 look forward with great interest to the appearance of the 

 second volume. 



