ILO Reviews and Book Notices. 
ES ae 1 Cees 7 \ “See 
that the edition is limited to 350 numbered copies, by far the greater 
proportion of ‘which are already subscribed for. Notwithstanding the 
éxtraordinary thorough manner in which the author has done his work, 
we observe that he modestly calls it a ‘ contribution to the fauna of the 
Solway area, which may be of assistance when the larger work comes to 
be written, a task which it is hoped will be undertaken by Mr. Robert 
Service, who has done so much towards the present volume.’ 
From the geographical position of Dumfriesshire, a work such as Mr. 
Gladstone’s is of peculiar value, especially when we come to compare the 
avifaunas of the various parts of the British Isles. After a very careful 
and critical review of the numerous occurrences, and a perusal of the rather 
unexpectedly extensive literature (as shewn by the fine bibliography), 
the author considers that there are 218 birds safely recorded for the county, 
viz., 70 residents, 31 summer visitants, 31 winter visitants, 30 occasional 
visitors, and 56 very rare or accidental visitors, besides 10 introduced 
species, and 29 of doubtful occurrence. This compares very favourably 
with the Yorkshire list of 325, having regard to the exceptional physio- 
graphical advantages of that county. 
A particularly valuable section of Mr. Gladstone’s volume is that de- 
voted to an account of the various naturalists who have contributed to 
the ornitnolological literature of his county. It is a sound piece of 
work, and includes many well-known names. There are also chapters 
on the physical features and climate, migration, flight-nets, protection, 
local misnomers and names, etc., and then follows a history of the occur- 
rences, distribution, etc., of each of the species represented in the fauna. of 
the county. There is a plentiful supply of suitable illustrations of birds, 
nests, nesting haunts, etc., and a good map. 
There can be no question that Messrs. Witherby are doing a great 
service to British ornithology by the publication of these valuable county 
volumes. 
A History of Birds, by W. P. Pycraft. Methuen & Co. 458 pp., 10/6 
net. From the days when ‘ Natural Science’ (of blessed memory) was 
published, and contained contributions from Mr. Pycraft, we have eagerly 
read anything from that gifted and thoroughly scientific writer. The 
present book, we can safely say, appeals to us more than any of his others, 
which is saying a good deal. In it Mr. Pycraft seems to be at his best, 
without resource to technicalities, and yet without losing any of his 
scientific methods. The author gives a thoughtful and suggestive history 
of birds; ‘ Evolution’ is his keynote, and whether dealing with distribu- 
tion, migration, relations to environment, phases of social life, repro- 
duction, eggs, offspring, variation, acquired characters, natural selection, 
structural adaptations, or convergent evolution and parallel development, 
or the many other subjects referred to in the volume, he seems quite at 
home, and has no difficulty in making his meaning clear. The chapters 
dealing with the structures of the parts of the birds will appeal to a far 
wider circle than the ornithological world. The illustrations, too, are 
numerous, and well supplement the author’s remarks. 
Ornithological Notes from a South London Suburb, 1874-1909. F. D. 
Power. London: H. J. Glaisher, 60 pp., 3/6 net. 
In this little book Mr. Power gives a summary of thirty-five years’ 
observations, with some facts and fancies concerning migration. Of 
course, it goes without saying that the district has changed considerably 
between the time he started making his observations, and now. But it 
is remarkable to find that the author has been able to make records of no 
fewer than 125 species. These are enumerated, and interesting facts 
given concerning each. There isalso, at the end of the volume, an elaborate 
chart of twenty-five consecutive Octobers (1885-1909), shewing on each 
day ‘the prevailing wind, with its force ; and the dependence of the ‘ migra- 
-tory movement’ on the direction of the wind.’ As a frontispiece is an 
illustration of the author's garden-at Brixton, from which the migration 
notes were taken. 
—— 
Naturalist, 
