160 THE ZOOLOGIST. 
scarcely justified in calling the “Sparrow Owl” Strix passerina 
(No. 34), whatever he may mean by the name. 
While we cannot but disagree with Mr. Marsden on such 
points as these, we must commend his intention of marking 
each species not truly British with an indication of its national 
home. Now that observers are so numerous, it is important 
that species accredited to the British Fauna should not 
permanently take their place there without a caveat respecting 
their alien origin. However, Mr. Marsden’s additions to the 
list of birds generally reputed British seem rather arbitrarily 
chosen. For example, the Red-eyed Flycatcher’s occurrence in 
Britain rests on very different evidence than does that of the 
Russet Wheatear or the Barred Warbler; there seems to be no 
presumption of the former having been found wild in Europe. 
And as to the Rufous Swallow, Mr. Dresser has shown, in 
part 37 of his ‘Birds of Europe,’ that the record of its having 
appeared in Britain is due to a mistake in identification ; yet, if 
it be admitted, it should be called Hirundo savignii of Stephens, 
1817, not, as Mr. Marsden has it (No. 189), Hirwndo cahirica of 
Lichtenstein, 1828. 
Whether a new List of British Birds was wanted at all just 
now, when it is known that the British Ornithologists’ Union has 
appointed a Committee to draw up one that, it may be presumed, 
will carry considerable authority, is perhaps merely a question 
of trade convenience; but it can hardly be gainsaid that a 
“Graduated List” such as Mr. Marsden furnishes us with on 
the last ten pages of his pamphlet cannot have any ‘raison 
d’étre’’ whatever. It is professedly compiled for use in labelling 
eges; but nowadays no egg-collector is content with anything 
short of actual writing on any specimens for whose identity he 
wishes to vouch. To gum a label on to an egg is to expose the 
specimen to serious disadvantages; the gum may be inefficient, 
and the label may consequently be lost; while, if the label do 
adhere, and it be at any time expedient to remove it, the chances 
are considerable that the label will remove a portion of the 
egg-shell along with it. 
As a mercantile speculation, Mr. Marsden’s List may meet 
with success; but it is rather hard that inexperienced ornitholo- 
gists should be imbued by it with incorrect notions both of 
science and of practice. 
ii beg 
