NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 437 



An Introduction to the study of British Birds : explaining the 

 distinction between many allied species. By Eev. H. A. 

 Macpherson, M.A. Post 8vo, pp. 120. (The Young Col- 

 lector Series). London : Swan Sonnenschein & Co. 1891. 



Considering the limited space at the author's disposal, it 

 would be difficult to give more information than is compressed in 

 this small manual. On the whole it would seem that a judicious 

 selection has been made of the species which are to be regarded 

 as British, although considering the design and scope of the book 

 we should have preferred to omit such birds as the Killdeer 

 Plover, the Esquimaux Curlew, and the Buff-breasted Sandpiper, 

 which, in the true sense of the word, are not " British," and to 

 have devoted the space thus saved to fuller details concerning 

 species having stronger claims to be considered. 



For example, the range of the Nightingale and the Dartford 

 Warbler might be noticed in more detail. It is not sufficient to 

 state that the latter species is " a scarce resident upon the Surrey 

 downs and other heaths in the South of England," seeing that it 

 occurs also in the Midlands, and has been met with even in 

 Yorkshire and Derbyshire. 



Nor does it seem quite accurate to restrict the winter quarters 

 of the Stonechat in England, to " our coast lines " (p. 9), seeing 

 that it is to be found, at that season of the year, on many furze- 

 clad commons at a considerable distance inland. The statement 

 that the Kock Pipit "prefers to nest on islands" (p. 22), is 

 somewhat striking when we remember how commonly it breeds 

 on many parts of the English coast. The expression also that 

 the female Golden Oriole as compared with the male is " a similar 

 but duller bird " (p. 23), implies that it is dull black and yellow ; 

 whereas, so far as our experience of this species goes, the hen 

 birds, seen in the nesting season on and about their nests, would 

 be more correctly described as dull green and grey. Whether 

 very old females ever become black and yellow, like the adult 

 males, we cannot of our own knowledge say, but we should think 

 not. These colours would be too conspicuous for a sitting bird. 



By the way, our author might have added a few lines con- 

 cerning the nesting of this bird in England, and the same with 

 regard to the Hoopoe. As to the latter bird, one of the newest 

 observations is that communicated (p. 49) by the Kev. H. D. 

 Astley, who had a tame Hoopoe that was very fond of crickets 



