Coi respondence.



305



breeding any particular type, although that type has already been

produced so that we know it to be a possible form. The Laws of

Inheritance are still in a sealed book, and those that have been

brought forward still ‘unproven.’ Here then is aline of research

in which anyone can assist by merely recording accurate facts.

We heartily recommend this book to all aviculturists (it is written

in quite simple and popular language) for they will get a com¬

prehensive idea of what has been done, and realize where existing

theories'require further elucidation and where further knowledge

is needed.


There is just one point in this otherwise excellent book to

which we must add a word of protest, namely the Preface.

Luckily for the authors, their bark is considerably worse than

their bite; but with the evidence in the book placed so fairly

before readers, surely it was unnecessary to condemn in a bunch

all ‘cabinet naturalists ’ and to set themselves up on a pinnacle

from which to judge scientific thought?


This Preface cannot fail to set many of their more scien¬

tific readers against the book from the beginning and will thus

greatly militate against the acceptance of their arguments.


We lay special stress on this because the body of the book

is so essentially a fair criticism of the facts that we cannot but

consider the Preface very ill advised. Nor do we think that the

book ‘ will come as a shock to many scientific men,’ for it cannot

fail to convince the open mind by the genuineness of its argu¬

ments. J, L. B.



CORRESPONDENCE, NOTES, ETC.


SEESEE PARTRIDGES.


Sir, —In the July number of the Avicullural Magazine [ (2) vii. pp.

269-270 (1909)] Mr. J. L. Bonhote has published some notes on the animals

living in the Giza Zoological Gardens. I11 these he has made some very

inaccurate and misleading remarks regarding the Seesee Partridges (Ammo-

perdix heyi, Tenim. and A. cholmleyi. Grant) which require correction, lest

they should lead others astray. Mr. Bonhote writes: “The Game-Birds

are represented by several Pheasants of the species most commonly kept

(e.g. Golden, Silver and Amherst) and two very fine liens of the Javanese

Peafowl, as well as a very fine lot of Hey’s Rock Partridges (Ammoperdix

heyi). A good description and plate of this species was given in the Maga-



