173 
THE BIRDS OF LANCASHIRE AND OF ESSEX. 
The Birds of Lancashire. By F. S. MITCHELL, M.B.O. yi ae Eaito, 
eal ee annotated by Howarp SAUNDERS, F.L.S iy with 
by R. 
additio: OWARD, and othe: er teak Bice Pora 
Tiinétrated. "abs pp. and ‘map. London : Gurney and Jackson. 1892. 
The mates of Essex. A contribution to the Natural History of es County. 
: Simpkin, Marshall & Co. Limited 90. 
: Ue well for the popularity of Mr. F. S. Mitchell’s ‘ Birds 
of Lancashire’ that a second issue should be called for after a lapse 
of only seven years. In the absence of the author from the country 
the task of editing the new edition has devolved upon Mr. Howard 
Saunders, who, we neéd hardly say, has made the best use of the 
new material placed at his disposal. 
s Mr. Saunders does not claim any special knowledge of 
Lancashire birds, he has naturally availed himself of the assistance 
of several well-known local ornithologists, his principal helper being 
Mr. R. J. Howard, of Blackburn, whose name appears on the title 
We have much pleasure in noticing the work in the current 
number of the ‘Naturalist,’ but as many of our readers will be 
already familiar with the details contained in the first edition, we 
propose therefore to confine our remarks mainly to the new informa- 
tion now presented 
n the original edition Mr. Mitchell enumerated 259 species as 
comprising the Lancashire avi-fauna. Owing to a curious mistake 
one species—the Cream-coloured Courser—has now been eliminated. 
On the other hand, five new species—Purple Heron, Sociable Plover, 
Wilson’s and the White-faced or Frigate Petrel, and Black-necked 
Grebe—have been added. Unfortunately the first-named has still 
no valid claim to be included in the county list, as the example 
noticed was obtained at Alderley Edge, a locality some distance 
within the Cheshire borders. The Sociable Plover and the Frigate 
- Petrel are both additions to the Lancashire and also to the British 
lists. The Plover has a curious history. It appears to have formed 
one of a group of. stuffed birds in a case examined by Mr. Mitchell, 
and identified by him as a Cream-coloured Courser, as recorded in 
his original yolume. Subsequent examination under more favourable 
circumstances revealed the fact of its being a no less distinguished 
Stranger than the Sociable Plover, a species inhabiting the south- 
eastern portions of Europe. The Frigate and Wilson’s Petrels were 
curiously enough both found dead, with many other birds, on the 
shores of Walney Island, within a few days of one another. Some 
viel ag may perhaps question the wisdom of including 
th, ein in a county list on the strength of a single example cast up 
°y the sea, but in our opinion no harm can be done so long as full, 
pas 1893. 
