Recently published Ornithological Works. 151 



writes at some length on the various races or subspecies of 

 the EiderSj and though on page 1 he states " at present it is 

 difficult to separate the Eiders of the British Isles, Denmark, 

 Norway and those from Finmark eastwards," on the follow- 

 ing page he distinctly recognizes as separate subspecies : — 



Somateria mollissima inollissima (Linn.), the typical race 



from Scandinavia. 

 S. m. borealis Brehm, from Greenland and Labrador. 

 S. m. britannica subsp. n., from the British Islands. 

 S. m. dresseri Sharpe, from the Atlantic coasts of N. 



America. 

 S. m. faroeensis Brehm, from the Faeroes. 

 S. m. islandica Brehm, from Iceland. 

 S. m. norvegica Brehm, from Norway. 

 S. m. V -nigra Gray, from N.W. America and N.E. Asia. 



It seems very doubtful whether it will be possible to 

 maintain all these subspecies, especially the two found in 

 Scandinavia ; most of the distinctions given appear to rest 

 on the coloration of the soft parts which fade rapidlj^ after 

 death, and require, therefore, most careful attention at the 

 time of collecting. 



In his account of the species Mr. Millais makes little or no 

 further reference to the question of subspecies, nor does he 

 discuss the question of subspecies in the case of any other 

 of the species dealt with. 



As usual, the illustrations are magnificent ; among them 

 we would pick out for special commendation Thorburn's 

 Eider Duck, which forms the frontispiece. This has been 

 beautifully reproduced by Frisch of Berlin. Mr. Millais 

 has himself painted the King Eider, the reproduction of 

 which, by Messrs. Andre & Sleigh of Bushey, quite comes 

 up to Frisch^s work. 



The volume concludes with a chapter on shooting methods 

 and another on rearing ducks for shooting and on breeding 

 and rearing ornamental wild-fowl in confinement. We must 

 congratulate Mr. Millais on the successful completion of 

 this most sumptuous series of volumes. 



