Reviews — Dictionary ojf Birds. 137 



migration, and geographical distribution of recent birds, and we will 

 hope for a good account of the skeleton in the concluding part. 



The special portions devoted to the diiferent groups of fossil birds 

 are contributed by K. Lydekker, and some of these form small but 

 complete monographs of the groups described ; but it is a little 

 diiBcult to comprehend why certain extinct birds were picked out 

 for special description, while a large number of others were lumped, 

 together in a general article on fossil birds ; thus we find excellent 

 articles on the Moas and the Odontornithes, but Archcsopteryx and 

 JEpyornis are only briefly described under the general title of fossil 

 birds, and the latter is not even mentioned in the alphabetical list. 

 These unaccountable distinctions rather destroy the utility of the 

 book, so far as the general student is concerned. 



We see now that the hallux is considered to be present in most 

 if not in all the Moas. Formerly, according to Lydekker (Manual 

 of Palaeontology, vol. ii. p. 1226, 1869), it was considered to be 

 present only in the Palapterygidae and to be absent in the true 

 Dinornithidge. 



The anatomical articles by Dr. Gadow ought to be very useful, 

 and their presence shows that ornithologists now recognize the fact 

 that a bird consists of other structures besides feathers, beak, and claws. 

 That this is thoroughly realized by the highest avian authorities 

 is well seen in the article on the Flycatchers, p. 273, where Prof. 

 Newton, referring to the Mnscarpidce, says, "every ornithologist must 

 own that its precise definition is at present almost impossible and 

 must await that truer knowledge which comes of investigating 

 structural characters more deeply seated than any afforded by the 

 epidermis." 



The third part (Moa — She), just issued, fully maintains the standard 

 of the earlier parts, and contains many interesting articles, two 

 dealing with fossil birds, viz. Moa and Odontornithes, one on the 

 Moorhen, including an account of Notorriis, with an excellent 

 figure of the head of that nearly extinct bird ; then there are full 

 accounts of the moult, of the muscular, nervous, and reproductive 

 systems ; on nidification, and of course short accounts of numerous 

 birds, among which we may notice those on the Ostrich and Rhea, 

 the rapidly disappearing parrot, Nestor ; of that singular group of 

 birds the Nightjars, with an interesting figure taken from life of the 

 curious form of the pennant-winged Nightjar, showing the way in 

 which this bird carries its enormously enlarged second primary wing- 

 feathers. There is also a good account of the Sandgrouse, whose 

 peculiar irruptions into England have caused so much interest of 

 late years. 



The illustrations are very variable and hardly numerous enough. 

 Why should such a little known bird as the Quezal, however beautiful, 

 want an entire page for its portrait, when so many others are un- 

 illustrated? Many of the figures are extremely good, especially 

 those of the King-penguin, the Secretary bird, and the Seriema of 

 doubtful sj'stematic position. But for the most part we have to be 

 content with beaks and portions of birds' heads from Swainson. 



