Notices of New Books, etc.


NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS, ETC.



239



The May number of British Birds brings to a conclusion

the first volume of this admirable periodical, and we congratulate

the Editors upon the many highly scientific facts brought before

the public in its pages.


The present number contains a valuable article by Mr.

P. H. Bahr on the development of a young Cuckoo, illustrated by

numerous photographs of the bird taken at various ages. Messrs.

C. J. and H. G. Alexander publish the result of their observations

during the past three years on the Song-periods of British Birds.

Mr. W. P. Pycraft discusses the bearing on the simple nest of the

Ringed Plover 011 the evolution of Birds’ nests in general ; his

interesting article being illustrated by photographs of five types

of the nest of that bird. The part concludes with a number of

Notes, a review of God man’s “ Monograph of the Petrels” and a

letter respecting a wounded Peregrine fed by its mate.


A. G. B.



Our member, the Rev. W. J. Constable, has sent us the

Report of the Uppingham School Natural History Society, the

Ornithological Section of which occupies the best part of nine

pages, a nearly identical space being devoted to Entomology

(or more strictly speaking to Lepidoptera, no other Orders being

dealt with).


There are observations upon seventy-five species of birds,

some of which are interesting if authentic ; for instance, a

Wren’s nest is described with seven young and one egg—a not

unusual occurrence in the case of our Blue-Tit (which has un¬

doubtedly often been mistaken for a Wren) but personally we

never yet found a Wren’s nest with more than six eggs : it would

be interesting to note whether the nest was in a hole; both this

and another nest with eight eggs were seen in Stoke Wood. The

full complement of eggs in Tits’ nests is not infrequently eight,

and sometimes the whole are reared.


The generic names should have been printed with capital

initial letters and in the Lepidoptera they should have been given

in full (the specific name of the Meadow Brown is usually spelt

janeira not jtinira).



