480 Bibliographical Notices. 
travellers, seafarers, and explorers, such as Oviedo, Leguat, 
Dampier and Carteret, as well as with later writers; while he has 
scarcely a rival in respect of the birds of the Shakesperean epoch. 
Under the heading “ Extermination”? he gives a sadly picturesque 
summary of the ‘ passing” of many species which formerly 
inhabited the Mascarene Islands; among these being not only the 
comparatively notorious Dodo and the Solitaire, but also an allied 
Didine bird, as well as at least two species of Parrot, a Dove, a large 
Coot, and another Ralline bird (the flightless Aphanapteryx), an 
Owl, a Heron, &e. The abnormal Starling (regilupus) of Réunion 
survived until about forty years ago, and a remnant of the Parra- 
keet (Paleornis ewsul) of Rodriguez is still awaiting the doom of its 
predecessors. In the West Indies, owing to the intervention of 
civilized man, quite as many species have died and made no sign. 
In our own days the Great Auk or Gare-Fowl has attained a 
melancholy celebrity, owing to its being classed as a “ British” 
bird and the producer of eggs sold at sensational prices; but the 
Labrador Duck, the Phillip-Island Parrot, the Mamo of the Sand- 
wich Islands, and others are quite as worthy of note, though their 
end has been more obscure. The important article on “ Geographical 
Distribution ” covers upwards of fifty pages, and is illustrated by a 
map showing approximately the six zoogeographical regions; the 
number being the same as proposed by Mr. P. L. Sclater in his well- 
known scheme, but the Palzarctic and Nearctic of the latter are 
united by Prof. Newton under the heading Holarctic, while a New 
Zealand Region is added. For this modification strong—and, to 
our mind, convincing—reasons are adduced. The subject of 
“Migration” is treated with characteristic caution as regards the 
broad lines, and even on a matter of detail it is, perhaps, rash on 
our part to “rush in” with a suggestion that the absence of any 
evidence as to the halting of the Red-spotted Bluethroat (Cyanecula 
suecica) on its transit between Egypt and the shores of the Baltic 
may be due to the absence of observers along the route adopted by 
that little bird. Prof. Collett has pointed out that this species 
reaches its breeding-grounds in Norway from the east, and never 
follows the western coast-line ; while a glance at the map will 
show that between the meridians of 28° and 35° E. (a fair “* mean ”) 
there is very little chance of any resting-place on passage being 
noticed. Where are the recorders of Kishineff and Kieff, of Minsk 
or Vitebsk? The western race of Bluethroat with the white spot 
can be traced resting on its gradual passage northward in spring, and 
it seems improbable that a form merely differing in respect of its 
chestnut-coloured spot (in the male) should adopt the violent 
measure of rushing across Europe, precisely where that continent is 
broadest and where the congenial natural conditions seem to invite 
a stay for repose and food. 
The Introduction, which, of course, appeared in Part IV., consists 
(with its separate Index) of 124 pages, and is a masterly review of 
the progress of Ornithology from the dawn of science to the present 
time. Amusement as well as instruction is afforded by the descrip- 
