Notices of New Books , etc.



79



are good, though a few of these might with advantage have been

omitted ; and the value of the book is much enhanced, by the

addition of an index to scientific names. There is however na

index to the popular names which, in our opinion, is a great

omission, as the majority of aviculturists know their birds only

by these.



BIRD MIGRATION.


The Committee appointed by the British Ornithologists’'

Club, to investigate the difficult subject of the immigration of

birds to these islands, are doing some very valuable work.

During the migration periods, observers in all parts of the United

Kingdom regularly send in their Reports week'by week, of the

arrival of migrants, and Reports are also received, by permission

of the Master and Elder Brethren of Trinity House, from the

various lighthouses round the coast. The information thus

obtained is worked out and tabulated bv the Ornithologists who

form the Committee.


The Third Report of the Committee, which forms Volume

XXII. of the Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club (Witherbv

& Co., price 6/-) is now to hand, and deals with the Spring

immigration of 1907.


The season was somewhat exceptional, wintry weather

being experienced throughout April, after a fine and warm spell

in the latter part of March. The migration was therefore un¬

usually late, being at its height in the first half of May. On the

15th of that month the largest and most important immigra¬

tion of the season was recorded at St. Catherine’s Lighthouse

in the Isle of Wight when individuals of no less than eighteen

different species killed themselves against the lantern.


The species are dealt with separately in the report, and

maps are published showing the dates of arrival at various

points. A chapter is added at the end on the Autumn move¬

ments of migrants in 1906.


HAAGNER ON SOUTH AFRICAN BIRDS OF PREY.


Ornithologists in South Africa recognise to the full the

importance of teaching the agriculturalists to differentiate between



