The Birds of Vorkshtre. 293 
varieties, unusual habits, and distribution are given, as well 
as the ‘local’ names, folklore, etc. In this direction, however, 
the records are not always consistent. 
That the ‘ Birds of Yorkshire’ will at once take its place in 
the front rank of British works on ornithology there is no doubt, 
and for many years to come it will be the constant companion 
of every naturalist having an interest in Yorkshire or in British 
birds. The language used is such that its meaning can readily 
be grasped by the beginner, and certainly no one will complain 
of a super-abundance of ‘ fine writing.’ 
To the numerous illustrations we cannot give too much 
praise. They alone are worth a good proportion of the price 
of the volumes. There are some coloured—there are represent- 
ations of early Yorkshire records, of unusually rare species, of 
famous nesting sites, of peculiaraties in the birds, and of nests 
and eggs and young of scores of interesting members of the 
avifauna of the county. The choice of the two hundred or 
more illustrations has been most happy, and no one can say 
that a single illustration is poor or that it is out of place. They 
form the most graphic account of the birds of any district that 
we have seen for some time. Very largely they are the work of 
that expert of bird photography, Mr. Riley Fortune, F.Z.S., 
who has in this way contributed greatly to the success of the 
work. Among other well-known naturalist photographers who 
have helped with the illustrations, we observe the names of 
Mr TA. Metealie, Mr... Lazenby, Mr. -[. BH. Nelson, and 
James Backhouse. 
As appendices are given the Birds Protection Orders for the 
three Ridings, lists of ‘Ancient Records,’ etc., and the Indices 
(occupying 65 pages) are unusually complete and valuable. 
From the Editorial we gather that the Hon. Secretary of the 
Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union (Mr. T. Sheppard, F.G.S.} has 
had his finger in this (as in almost every other recent Yorkshire) 
pie, and doubtless this has resulted in the present work being 
unusually free from misprints or other errors. 
In conclusion, we know not which to congratulate most— 
Mr. Nelson, the Yorkshire Naturalists’ Union, the publishers, 
or the ornithological world generally on the appearance of these 
two volumes. Messrs. A. Brown & Sons have done their work 
thoroughly, and their excellent taste and good workmanship is 
exhibited on every page. They have certainly not spoilt the 
work by hurrying it through the press! 
M.B.O.U. 
1907 August r. 
