Reviews.



75



respect, but, according to the facts given, the case is clearly made

out, and must, therefore, be accepted, at all events for that part

of the country (West of France) where the observations were

made.


'File young birds make their first flight when thirteen days

old, by which time seven primaries and eight secondaries are

fairly well developed, the third primary is still in the quill, and

the first two have not yet made their appearance; at the age of

twenty-three days the tenth primary is cast, and the second

primary, which has not yet grown, makes its appearance ; five

days later the ninth primary is cast and the first appears, and

thus the moult continues till all, except the first two, have been

renewed. Apart from the primaries, which, from the point of

view of age, are the most important character, other details of

the moult and plumages are well and carefully dealt with, and we

notice that while accepting the differences in the wing coverts, as

first described by Mr. Grant in the Field , as the best means for

distinguishing the sexes, the author is careful to point out that

this distinction by no means holds good for nil cases. The book

is one to which justice cannot be done in a short critique, it bears

the mark of most accurate and painstaking work, adds greatly to

our knowledge of the species, and is well worthy of a place on

the bookshelves of every lover of the ‘little brown bird.’



THE COMMON GUEE. *


This is a book of photographs showing various phases in

the life history of the Common Gull, and although it can hardly

be said that the pictures are very descriptive, or tell us anything

new about the life history of these interesting birds, the book

forms a nice addition to the pictures of bird-life of which we see

so many now-a-days. Some of the photographs are not as

‘sharp’ as we should like and appear to have been touched up ;

and others, as for instance ‘ Following the Plough ’ is a most

artistic picture, but the birds are rather small. A short account

of the species, translated from the Danish, is given at the end of

the book.



Life of the Common Gull, by C. Robow. Loudon; Withhkby & Co. 1/6 net.



