SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



187 



British Birds. By W. H. Hudson, C.M.Z.S., 

 with a chapter on Structure and Classification, by 

 Frank E. Beddard, F.R.S. 363 pp. large 8vo, 

 with 8 coloured plates from original drawings by 

 A. Thorburn, and 8 plates and 100 figures in 

 black and white, from original drawings by G. E. 

 Lodge, and 3 illustrations from photographs from 

 nature, by R. B. Lodge. (London and New York : 

 Longmans, Green and Co., 1895.) Price 12s. 6d. 



This is another of Messrs. Longmans' " Out- 

 door World Library," and reflects the highest 

 credit on the publishers for a piece of book- 

 production. The coloured plates are above the 

 average, and the pictures from photographs are 

 nicely composed. Most of the birds illustrated 



tion, with little that is new in its pages. Still, the 

 work will be of much use to those who had not 

 studied our birds before meeting with it ; for it 

 summarises much of what is stated elsewhere at 

 greater length, and the information is fairly up to 

 our latest knowledge. This, as stated by Mr. 

 Hudson in his introduction, has been his object, 

 rather than giving elaborate histories of each kind 

 of bird. His remarks on observing birds in a state 

 of nature are good, when he writes, " Let us 

 imagine the case of a youth or boy who has read 

 and re-read half-a-dozen long histories of some one 

 species, and, primed with all this knowledge, who 

 finally goes out to observe it for himself. It will 

 astonish him to find how much he has not been 



Eli Collins, Truffle Hunter. From " Country Pastimes for Boy. 



by Mr. Lodge are recognizable, but many are too 

 loosely drawn, giving the appearance, in some 

 cases, of sickly specimens. This applies to fig. 18, 

 song thrush ; fig. 26, nightingale ; fig. 37, pied 

 wagtail ; fig. 57, a raven ; and fig. 117, little grebe. 

 Professor Bsddard's chapter is good, but perhaps 

 a little too condensed in places. 



When such a book as this appears, it is cus- 

 tomary for some people to exclaim, " What need 

 for it ? There are already too many of such 

 works." With this we do not agree, for we believe 

 every work of a special nature induces some people 

 to take an interest in the objects on which it treats. 

 This will doubtless be the case with this newest 

 book on British birds. Although the author is 

 known to be interested in our insular ornithology, 

 specialists will consider his work largely a compila- 



told. . . . The reflection will follow that there 

 must be a limit to all things that can be recorded, 

 . and in the end he will be more than con- 

 tent that it should be so." The casual species of 

 bird visitors to these islands are no more than 

 referred to by the author, who confines himself to 

 those kinds which may be always found at one or 

 other season of the year. 



The Royal Natural History. Edited by Richard 

 Lydekkek, B.A., F.R.S. Illustrated with 72 

 coloured plates and i,6oo engravings. (London and 

 New York : Frederick Warne and Co.) Published 

 in is. parts. 



We have received part 22, vol. iv., of this fine 

 work, which continues the birds, dealing especially 

 with the herons, storks, and ibises, on through the 

 flamingoes, ducks, to the pigeons and sand-grouse. 



