156 January Meeting of the Council.


We have received from Messrs. Trower, the well-known

Bird-food Specialists of the Caledonian Road, London, a very

useful little sixpenny pamphlet entitled “The Bird-Keeper’s

Guide”: by Allen Silver and T. R. Trower.


The object of this treatise is to provide the beginner in the

study of bird-life with a handy and concise text-book for refer¬

ence ; so that whenever he becomes the possessor of a bird he

may learn therefrom the type of cage most suitable to its require¬

ments, the best food for it, its merits as a songster or exhibition

bird, whether it is most satisfactory when hand-reared or caught

wild.


Both trivial and scientific names are given, as well as the

habitat of each species. The different items of information are

arranged in parallel columns.


In the case of the foreign birds the scientific names not

infrequently and the popular names occasionally are not quite

correct: the Slender-billed Cockatoo being called “ Nosicus ! ”

a name probably given in jest by some humorous dealer as a

translation of the name nasiejis, though nasica is more correct.

The nosy appearance of the bird seems to have struck Latham,

as of course it did the author of the scientific name*


Mr. Silver has had a good deal of experience in keeping

British birds and has also kept a few foreign species; he has not

however relied solely upon this, but has been more or less guided

by the opinion of others : the consequence is that this little

pamphlet is remarkably trustworthy.



JANUARY MEETING OF THE COUNCIL.


The winter Meeting of the Council took place (by kind

permission of the Zoological Society of Loudon) at 3, Hanover

Square, W., on January 29th.


The Balance-sheet for the year ending Oct. 31st, 1907, was

produced and passed.


The following addition to the rules was proposed by the

Duchess of Bedford and seconded by Dr. A. G. Butler :



Among'tlie misspelt Greek and I.atin names we find capristmta, Rhamphocallus,

I.agonosf tea, paridiseci, cuccnlata, luteloa, p.xgodorum, pilatus. Aptosinetus, etc.



