NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 471 



birds " that show signs of infirmity." We are of course aware 

 that this statement has long become stereotyped ; but we have 

 seen such numbers of grouse and partridges killed by trained 

 falcons, that we have no hesitation in saying that a Peregrine can 

 knock down any bird it pleases with the greatest ease, and will 

 stoop at the first bird of a covey which it catches sight of, quite 

 regardless of whether it is the strongest or weakest Of this 

 fact we have been often an eye-witness. We may add that this 

 was long ago demonstrated by Lieut. -Col. Delme Radcliffe and 

 by Col. Whyte. (See ' The Field,' 18th April, 1863). 



Having thus indicated some of the names which in our 

 opinion ought not to have been omitted from the * Dictionary,' — 

 some of which, like " Attagen," " Beccafigo," and " Berkut," are 

 really important, — we will devote a few lines to a consideration 

 of some that might well have been dispensed with. Amongst 

 these we would place " Chacalaca," " Chok," " Curucui," 

 " Corrira," " Fasceddar," and " Kalkoentje." These, and several 

 others that might be mentioned, are not accepted English words, 

 and, as it seems to us, stand upon a different footing to such 

 names for instance as " Caracara," " Huia," and "Jacana," 

 which, though introduced words, are generally recognized 

 and frequently used. Moreover, if the names in question are 

 to be admitted, why exclude "Arapunga," "Boclora," "Cuia," 

 " Houtou," " Ibibirou," and other native names to be found in 

 Waterton's ' Wanderings in South America ' ? At the same time 

 we are far from saying that it would not be a most useful piece of 

 work to identify the birds whose scientific names were persistently 

 ignored by the English wanderer in Demerara. 



One other shortcoming we have to notice, namely, the de- 

 sirability of having more cross references. Of this a single 

 example will suffice. There is a curious bird frequenting the 

 east coast of Africa, from the Red Sea to Natal, as well as 

 the northern and eastern shores of the Indian Ocean, the Bay of 

 Bengal, and many of the intervening islands. To all scientific 

 ornithologists it is known as Dromas, yet this name is not in the 

 Dictionary, though we find the bird dealt with under the familiar 

 Anglo-Indian name, "Crab-plover." Here the insertion of the 

 words "Dromas, see Crab-plover," would have been useful. Add 

 also " Chionis, see Sheathbill." 



And now having pointed out a few instances in which, as it 



