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Notices of New Books, etc.



“ Any lady or gentleman interested in the objects of the society may

present their application for membership to the Secretary-Treasurer. The

dues are six dollars per annum. All communications should be addressed

to The Avicultural Society of California, 717, Market Street, Sail Francisco,

California.


Very truly yours, B. W. Gifford,


Corresponding Secretary.



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS, ETC.


THE EGGS OF EUROPEAN BIRDS*


Part III. of Mr. Jourdain’s magnificent work on the above

subject is to hand and is in every way equal to its predecessors.

The extremely careful way in which the author has noted and

described the characteristics of the nests and eggs of the various

species and geographical races of each species makes his book a

most valuable one and indispensible to oologists and ornitho-

gists generally.


The present part contains some eighty pages of letterpress

and thirteen coloured plates, the latter being of very high


quality. -


THE DUBLIN ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS.


The seventy-seventh annual Report of the Royal Zoological

Society of Ireland is to hand and deals with the work of that

Institution during 1908. Financially the year was not a very

successful one, which fact is probably due to the extreme

depression in trade and consequent limitation of the spending

powers of the public. The gardens however have been kept in a

high state of efficiency and the animals have done remarkably

well on the whole, the mortality being extremely low. No less

than nine Lion cubs were born and reared during the year. But

more interesting to us as aviculturists is the account given of the

rearing of the Rhea chicks. Rheas are allowed to roam freely

about the grounds, and early in the summer, some twenty-three

eggs were laid, though one only of the two male birds seemed

inclined to sit. Eleven eggs were therefore given to this bird,

ten of which were hatched after an incubation period of tliirty-



* The Eggs of Euiofean Birds. By the Kev. Francis C. R. Jourdain, M.A., M.B.O.U.

Part III. Price 10/6 per part. London: R. H, Porter, 7, Princes Street, Cavendish Square,.

W.



