434 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



Oxford in the arrangement of the Hope Collections in the Department of 

 Zoology, and as to the rooms now available for students working at these 

 collections. 



Mr. G. T. Bethune-Baker communicated a paper entitled " Descriptions 

 of the Pyralida, Crambidce, and Phycida collected by the late T. Vernon 

 Wollaston in Madeira."— H. Goss, Hon. Secretary. 



NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS, 



Notes on the Birds of Rainham : including the District behveen 

 Chatham and Sittingboume. By Walteb Pkentis. Post 

 8vo, pp. 92. London : Gurney & Jackson. 1894. 



The author of this little book is not unknown to our readers, 

 who will recognise his name as that of an occasional contributor 

 to this Journal. We are glad to see that he has now published 

 some more extended observations on the birds of the district in 

 which he resides. 



Eainham lies in the north-eastern parliamentary division of 

 Kent, and within sight of the Isle of Sheppey, Queenborough, 

 Sheerness and the Nore. Looking to the north-east, one may 

 see the mouth of the Medway, the Isle of Grain, and, on a clear 

 day, Southend in Essex. To the west and south, there is no 

 view beyond the woods. The soil of Eainham is a good loam 

 resting upon the chalk, more or less deep where the latter does 

 not approach the surface, more or less thin near the woods, where 

 the soil is flinty. Cultivation, Mr. Prentis tells us, is "going on 

 as well as it can be done ; almost everything that is either sown 

 or planted grows as a rule to an average perfection." 



From this it will be seen that the district is tolerably diversi- 

 fied, and with woods on one side of the parish, and marshes on 

 the other, it is not surprising that there is also a diversity of 

 bird-life. Many migratory species find at least a temporary 

 resting-place in the neighbourhood, although naturally in these 

 days of cheap guns and ten-shilling gun licenses, the larger 

 kinds soon get shot or driven away. We regret to find Mr. 

 Prentis enrolling himself amongst the local army of gunners, and 

 admitting (p. 10) that he and his friends were instrumental in 

 shooting at and driving away an Osprey, which for the time 



