Notices of Books. 9425 



Notices of New Books. 



' A Descriptive Catalogue of the Raptorial Birds in the Norfolk 

 and Norwich Museum.^ Compiled and arranged by John 

 Henry Gurney. Part I. containing Serpenlariidae, Polybo- 

 ridse, Viilturidae. London : John Van Voorst, Paternoster Row. 

 1864. 90 pp. ; crown. 



The word " descriptive," in its usual acceptation, is scarcely ap- 

 plicable to this very agreeable work. The term, as used by natu- 

 ralists, implies that each species is described after the technical 

 manner adopted by ornithologists : this is not so ; there is no specific 

 description, but, instead thereof, a pleasant selection from the narra- 

 tives of travellers, connected together by the author's own appropriate 

 observations. I give the author's simple but explanatory Preface 

 entire, and his account of a single species : the first sets forth his 

 object and intention ; the second abundantly shows how that inten- 

 tion has been carried out. 



** In comjiiling the first portion of a Catalogue of the Raptorial 

 Birds in the Norfolk and Norwich Museum (which I hope at a future 

 time may be followed by the remainder), I have considered it de- 

 sirable, in the first place, to give a list of the several species contained 

 in the collection, in the order in which they are there arranged (that 

 order being such as has appeared to me to be, on the whole, the most 

 conformable to their natural affinities). Secondly, to affix to each species 

 the specific name to which it is by priority entitled, to which I have 

 added one or more subsequent synonyms in order of priority, where I 

 have thought the older in any respect objectionable. Thirdly, to give 

 a list of the specimens of each species, as well as of the localities from 

 which each specimen has been obtained, when known, together with 

 the name of the donor ; or, in the case of specimens which I have 

 myself placed in the Museum (and to which the letter G is affixed), 

 the name either of the original collector or of the person from whom 

 such specimens passed into my hands, both these names being given 

 where I have been able to supply them. Fourthly, I have stated such 

 particulars as I have been able to ascertain respecting the geo- 

 graphical distribution, food, nidification and habits of each species, 

 and also as to the colour of the irides, and of other parts of which 

 the natural hue cannot be accurately known by an examination of 

 stuffed specimens only. Fifthly, although, as these pages are pri- 

 marily intended for the use of visitors to the Museum, I have not 

 VOL. XXIII. G 



