318 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



matter of opinion. For our part we have always contended for 

 the superiority of the Accipitres, not only as fliers (and flight, it 

 must be remembered, is the characteristic attribute of the class 

 Aves), but also in regard to intelligence, docility, and subserviency 

 to man's requirements, no birds being more capable of under- 

 standing and obeying their owners' wishes as expressed by sign 

 or call than the Falcons. But, however that may be, all we now 

 wish to assert is that a certain scheme of classification having 

 been so recently adopted in a new edition of a standard work of 

 authority, it seems a pity to have disturbed it, at all events to 

 the extent accomplished in Mr. Saunders' new volume. 



We would also contend for a little more " conservativism " in 

 maintaining views which have been put forth with good reasons 

 to support them, instead of adopting opinions at variance with 

 such views, and without any explanation for the change. As a 

 case in point, we may notice the orthography of the name 

 "Mistletoe" Thrush. In a footnote in vol. i., p. 260, of the 

 fourth edition of ' Yarrell,' Prof. Newton has made it very clear 

 that " Mistle " is the correct spelling, while Mr. Saunders, 

 without explanation, prefers the more common, but less authorised, 

 form " Missel." 



In stating (p. 15) that " the Eing Ouzel is the only Thrush 

 which is entirely absent from our islands during the winter," 

 unless in exceptionally mild years, Mr. Saunders might have 

 usefully added a few references to evidence of its stay here 

 throughout the year, as, for example, ' Zoologist,' 1879, pp. 174, 

 203, 266, and 1886, p. 490; and Mansel-Pleydell, 'Birds of 

 Dorset' (p. 22). In a recently-published volume on the 'Birds 

 of Herefordshire,' the Bev. C. L. Eagles writes : — " The Bing 

 Ouzel lives all the year round on the slopes of the Black Moun- 

 tains, Herefordshire. I have shot them in winter, and have 

 often found their nests in summer." 



Of the Bedstart it is said (p. 30), that " in Ireland only two 

 or three occurrences are known." This was doubtless true some 

 time ago, but of late years this bird has been more observed as a 

 summer migrant to Ireland, and in June, 1885, was found to be 

 nesting in the Co. Wicklow, as reported by the Bev. Dr. Benson, 

 * Zoologist,' 1885, p. 260. 



Most of the new woodcuts are very nicely executed, but it is 

 a pity that some of them do not quite range with the figures of 



