392 BibliograpMcal Notices. 



are the Virginian Colin (Ortyx virginianus) and the Barhary 

 Partridge (Caccabis petrosa), both of them introduced species 

 which have failed to establish themselves in this country. Any 

 one who reads between the lines can see that Mr. Saunders, 

 from his personal knowledge of its habits, is sceptical as to the 

 genuineness of the recorded occurrences of the Andalusian Hemi- 

 pode, a species not given to wandering, not found in Malta 

 or France, and so restricted in its habitat that even in Spain and 

 Sicily it is only found in certain southern districts. The so-called 

 " Sabine's Snipe " is now generally regarded as a melanic variety, 

 and has been expunged from the list, although the beautiful original 

 woodcut, remarkable even amongst others for its execution, has 

 been retained as a tailpiece. 



A new illustration is given of the Rosy or Cuneate-tailed Gull ; and 

 there is also one to show the adult plumage of the Pomatorhine 

 Skua, only the immature stage having previously been figured. 

 The Masked Gull (Larus capistratus) is no longer considered a 

 valid species, nor does the editor admit the claims of the American 

 Laughing Gull {L. atricilla) to a place in the British list. In the 

 article on the Fulmar Petrel it is pointed out, for the first time, that 

 the young birds of the pale form are similar in plumage to the 

 adults, and that the grey birds, which were formerly supposed to 

 represent the intermediate stage, are not the young of the above, but 

 belong to a distinct dark form. The Eiuged Guillemot is degraded 

 from its former specific rank ; and it is clear that if Mr. Saunders 

 had been writing a book entirely his own, such species (admitted by 

 Yarrell) as the Polish Swan, the Canada, Spur-winged, and Egyp- 

 tian Geese, and more than one Duck, would have been omitted. 



In a short Preface placed at the commencement of the third 

 volume Mr. Saunders gives his reasons for certain changes in the 

 systematic arrangement which he considers to be unavoidable con- 

 sistently with the present state of our knowledge. In former 

 editions the order Limicolse was split in two, the praecocial Plovers 

 being separated from the equally prsecocial Snipes, Sandpipers, &e. 

 by the Herons &c., whose young are helpless for some time after 

 they are hatched ; the Phalaropes were placed next to the Bails, 

 and the whole of the above and some other genera were comprised 

 in one huge impossible Order — Grallatores. The Gulls and Terns, 

 now admitted to be so closely allied to the Limicol® that it is 

 doubtful whether they ought not to form part of that order, were 

 classed with Ducks &c. as Natatores ; and the Petrels, now known to 

 have little in common with the Gulls biTt a superficial resemblance, 

 were actually placed among the Laridse ! All this is now altered, and, 

 as we believe, very much for the better, although there will doubtless 

 be some grumblers who will not take the trouble to refer to the 

 capital index, and complain that they " never know where to look 

 for a bird now." 



The entire work has been so thoroughly well executed that we have 

 no hesitation in stating that it will maintain its place as the standard 



