334 Canadian Record of Science. 



BOOK NOTICES. 



The Birds of Greenland. 1 — This work, edited by Montague 

 Chamberlain, consists of two parts — the first, an annotated list of 

 the birds of Ivigtut, by A. T. Hagerup, is based upon observations 

 made at that place during a residence of fifteen months, published 

 in the Auk, Vol. VI, Nos. 3 and 4. A.n additional fifteen months' 

 residence at the same locality has enabled the author to " add con- 

 siderably " to his former notes and to correct a few errors that had 

 crept in. 



Much interesting information is given respecting the habits of 

 many species, particularly with regard to nesting and migration. 

 Considerable attention appears to have been given to the vexed 

 question of the Gyrfalcons, with the result that "as Holboll 

 and Fencker repeatedly observed mated pairs, one of which was 

 white (F. islandicus) and the other dark (F. rusticolus), and as Hol- 

 boll also found light and dark young in the same nest, I conclude 

 that there is only one species of Gyrfalcon found in Greenland." 

 This certainly is strong evidence, but it is weakened by the state- 

 ment that the light-colored birds breed chiefly irj North Greenland, 

 while the dark birds are chiefly restricted to South Greenland ; 

 perhaps further observations may show that they are now equally 

 distributed. The second part, a Catalogue of the Birds of Green- 

 land, "is based on the works of Holboll, Reinhardt, Alfred Newton 

 Ludwig Kumlien and others. Use has also been made of the late 

 Alfred Bewgon's collection of birdskins and eggs," and the author's 

 own observations add much to its value. " The Catalogue com- 

 prises all the birds discovered up to date in that part of Western 

 Greenland which is settled by the Danes, namely, the country 

 lying south of 73° N. lat. This is divided at 68° N. lat into North 

 Greenland and South Greenland. Of the one hundred and thirty- 

 nine species here enumerated, one is extinct, and fifty-three are 

 merely accidental stragglers, while twenty-four others are so rare 

 that they might be classed with the accidentals, leaving but sixty-one 

 species that should be recognized as regular inhabitants of Green- 

 land, and of these several are of quite uncommon occurrence. M.C." 



The whole work forms a convenient handbook, its value being 

 much enhanced by Mr. Chamberlain's critical notes, his know- 

 ledge of our northern forms pre-eminently fitting him for the task. 

 It will be welcomed by all interested in the avifauna of Greenland. 



F. B. C. 



1 The Birds of Greenland. By Andreas T. Hagerup. Translated from the 

 Danish by Frimann B. Arngrimson. Edited by Montague Chamberlain. Bos- 

 ton : Little, Brown & Co., 189L 



