92 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



would, however, be a misnomer for this publication, for it contains 

 a host of good zoological observations. 



Mr. Kearton has a fair word to say for London Cats. " I have 

 recently seen it stated that the birds of London and its suburbs 

 have decreased because of the Cats and increased population. 

 Whilst recognising the folly of hating a dumb animal merely 

 because it carries into operation an inherited liking for one 

 particular kind of food, I must frankly confess that I do not love 

 Cats ; and it will be well to bear this avowal in mind whilst reading 

 the following account of my experiences. This year I have known 

 of the following species of birds having nests and eggs within five 

 hundred yards of a Greater London farmhouse, boasting an 

 army of no less than five adult Cats : — Pheasant, Partridge, 

 Carrion-Crow, Missel-Thrush, Song-Thrush, Blackbird, Starling, 

 House-Sparrow, Hedge-Sparrow, Robin, Wren, Barn-Swallow, 

 House-Martin, Chaffinch, Lark, Whinchat, Red-backed Shrike, 

 Yellowhammer, Moorhen, Lapwing, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Kestrel, 

 Turtle-Dove, Whitethroat." Of course the retort is obvious, that 

 these farm Cats were presumably well fed and housed, and that 

 the worst feline marauders are those houseless and starving 

 brutes which, ill alike for themselves and the birds, haunt the 

 crowded abodes of man. 



The author also gives his experience on a question now being 

 discussed in these pages as to the nesting habits of the Moorhen. 

 He states that during his residence in the neighbourhood of 

 Elstree, owing to the depredations of Carrion Crows, " I do not 

 think I can call to mind one instance of a Moorhen succeeding 

 in hatching off her first clutch of eggs. The species has to 

 depend for its perpetuation on the growth of reeds and rushes, 

 which the old birds bend over their nests and thus hide 

 their eggs." 



The illustrations, as in Mr. Kearton's previous books, are 

 again very charming : photography more than illustrates — it 

 reveals — nature. No longer are her secrets to be pourtrayed by 

 the imaginative artist ; we have now reached the stage of actual 

 representation. In time the traveller must illustrate his books 

 by the aid of the camera, or not at all. 



