Review.



133



REVIEW.


“ THE BIRDS OF HAMPSHIRE.”*


Reliable works 011 the avifauna of a county are always very

welcome additions to the literature of the ornithology of the

country. Hampshire is one of our largest counties, and one of

the most important as regards birds, and in it British Ornithology

may be said to have started, for here it was that Gilbert White

spent his long life and wrote his classical history of Selborne, a

work that will ever be cherished by lovers of natural history.


The book before us, by Messrs. Kelsall and Munn, is the

latest addition to the long list of works dealing with the avifauna

of the English counties, and its authors have spared no pains in

making it complete in every detail and absolutely reliable. The

■extent of their research may be gathered by the bibliography of

the works consulted which occupies three pages, while the list of

their correspondents accounts for four more. Particulars have

been collected of 294 species that have occurred in the County,

which does not include many doubtful occurrences; 85 are

resident, 42 Summer visitors, 70 Winter visitors ('which includes

those which pass on the Spring and Autumn migrations, but do

not stay to breed), 36 Occasional visitors, and 61 Accidental

visitors. Many species have increased considerably under

Protection, and the authors believe that all of the small birds are

increasing, with the single exception of the Dartford Warbler.

A copy of the Wild Birds Protection Act, as applied to the

County is added ; and at the end of the book an excellent map of

the county is given.


The book contains a number of very fine illustrations, the

majority being from photographs by Mr. Smith Whiting. Four,

however, representing the Stone Curlew, Cirl Bunting, Peregrine

Falcon, and Tufted Duck, are reproductions of drawings by

Mr. G. E. Lodge, an artist of the first order, whose work cannot

be too highly praised.


In a word, it may be said that Messrs. Kelsall and Munn’s

work is worthy of a very prominent position in the library of

every ornithologist who is interested in British Birds.



* The Birds of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, by Rev. J. E. Kelsall, M.A., and

Philip W. Munn. London : Witherby and Co., 326, High Holborn, W.C. Price 15/- net.



