526 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



new work, which is a marvel in cheapness, and a credit to the 

 publishers. 



The publication, which is to be completed in six volumes, has 

 been entrusted to the authorship of some well-known ornitho- 

 logical writers, and Mr. Frohawk illustrates throughout, each 

 bird being the subject of a full-page illustration, while the eggs 

 are depicted in a series of coloured plates. 



Volumes i. and ii. and a portion of vol. iii. are devoted to the 

 Passeres and Picariee, and have been entrusted to the care of Dr. 

 A. G. Butler, an aviculturist who has had much experience with 

 the first group in captivity, and is therefore able to add original 

 observations made under such conditions, as well as facts relating 

 to nidification derived from a personal collection of nests and 

 eggs. This contribution contains a special feature as to the treat- 

 ment and food of the species in confinement, in this respect 

 resembling a well-known volume by Bechstein. Dr. Butler has 

 avoided the illustration of our casual visitors, or " Rare British 

 Birds," which we think would have added to the completeness of the 

 work. Many, especially of the smaller birds, may be more frequent 

 visitors than generally supposed. Although we hear much of bird 

 slaughter, such can seldom be laid to the charge of a real or 

 capable ornithologist, and the gun of the collector is not so 

 ubiquitous as sometimes described. Could such a scrutiny be 

 maintained over the area of these islands as was and perhaps is 

 still pursued in Heligoland, many more visitors, such as warblers 

 and other of the smaller birds, might be noticed, if not secured. 

 The keeper's gun is more to be feared than that of the ornitholo- 

 gist, but the first is seldom discharged at warblers, though, alas ! 

 too often at our decreasing Accipitres. Should the same restrictive 

 method be pursued by the other authors throughout the work, 

 a supplementary volume might be issued for the reception of 

 " Strangers." 



"Striges" and "Accipitres" have been dealt with by the Rev. 

 Murray A. Matthew. We gladly quote his plea for the Barn Owl, 

 than which " there is, perhaps, hardly any other bird that is so 

 persecuted, and so ungratefully repaid. When they cannot find 

 any other excuse, keepers will say they kill them because they 

 are * unlucky.' There is no bird more commonly found stuffed 

 and distorted in a case in cottages and farm-houses throughout 



