342 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



origin, though it is doubtful whether the eggs figured of 

 Turdus pilaris, T. torquatus, and Acrocephalus aquaticus 

 were taken in Holland. But in any scientific work on 

 oology each figure should be the portrait of some individual 

 egg, and information on this point is indispensable. The 

 beautiful series of illustrations of eggs of Cuculus canorus is 

 almost valueless without details as to the foster-parents in 

 each case,, and we note that of the three figures given of the 

 eggs of Lanius senator, [b] is of the rare erythristic type and 

 (c) shows a distinct tendency towards it. Yet there is no 

 hint of this in the accompanying letterpress, where the 

 surface-markings are described as " grey or greenish brown.^' 

 It would be interesting to learn whether the red type occurs 

 in Holland, as it undoubtedly does in the Mediterranean 

 region. 



The studies on egg-structure and family characteristics 

 form an original feature of this work and are extremely inter- 

 esting, especially the researches of the author on the distri- 

 bution of colouring-matter in the diff'erent layers of the shell, 

 a subject to which little attention has been given up to the 

 present, though it is undoubtedly to research in this direc- 

 tion that we must look for an explanation of many of the 

 problems in egg-coloration. We trust that in the forth- 

 coming part of this work Heer van Pelt Lechner will publish 

 the localities and dates of all the specimens figured, as 

 without this information, no illustrations of eggs, however 

 beautiful in themselves, can be considered as satisfactory ; 

 and since the study of local races has made such progress, 

 these details are indispensable. F. C. R. Jourdain. 



Vaucher on the Greek Partridge of Canton Ticino. 



[Observations sur quelques Bartavelles du bassin du Tessin ( Cacrabis 

 saxatilis biedermanni Reicb.), par Alfred Yaucher. Boll. Soc. ticinese 

 Sci. nat. viii. 1912, pp. 1-3.] 



Two years ago Dr. Reichenow (Ornith. Monatsb. 1911, 

 p. 35) described the Greek Partridge inhabiting the valley 

 of the Ticino on the southern slope of the Alps as distinct 

 from that of the Canton Yalais on the other side of the 

 range. 



