To all bird-owners.



271



we have an account of the finding of the first recorded egg of the red¬

billed species, with a good figure of the egg, and photographs of the

first Toucan chicks ever seen by any naturalist. Very interesting are

these pictures of the hideous little creatures—bald, naked, ungainly,

helplessly squatted on their heel-pads instead of on the soles of their

feet. Next comes an account of various ornithological discoveries,

with details of the nests and eggs of Crake and Ground Dove,

Tyrantlet and Quadrille Bird, Antcatcher and Bush-bird, Manakin

and Honey-creeper, till one seems to have personally undertaken a

bird-nesting foray in the tropical jungle.


Turning to errors, we are surprised to find, on p. 96, the Giant

Cacique ranked as a giant Oriole; had it been styled a giant Hang-

nest it would have been correctly classed—the error being the more

unfortunate, as the species is rightly placed among the Icteridce

in the list on p. 137. We regret to see Icterus chrysocephalus and

I. xanthornus xanthornus also ranked as “ Orioles ”—a term which

should be restricted to the Old World members of the genera Oriolus

and Sphecotheres* The dead tree in Fig. 48 does not show the

nesting-hole of the Green Aracari or any other Toucan, for it is on

too small a scale for the aperture to be recognised, even with the aid

of a lens. The same applies to Fig. 54, for the blackened knot-hole

mentioned in the text is quite invisible in the photograph. The

account of the nestling Hoatzins includes no reference to the presence

or absence of the pelvic wing, though in so archaic a form one would

have thought that this would have been one of the first characters to

be looked for.


In spite of these drawbacks, the book is a fine piece of work

it represents American zoology at its best, and that is very good

indeed. G. R.



TO ALL BIRD-OWNERS,


The Council suggests that all bird-owners having surplus stock

should offer it for sale in the Magazine, the money thus realised to

be presented to the Deficit Fund. The Editor will be pleased to



* Thus we strongly disapprove of the habit now prevalent of speaking of the Balti¬

more “ Oriole,” which is as true an Icterus as the common Yellow Hangnest.



