38 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



has a double in Surrey, and that the writer of this notice very 

 much astonished a peaceful and non-sporting gentleman by 

 showing him the portrait of Major Fisher as that of himself. 



In no carping spirit of criticism, we would point out that the 

 same narrative is given on both pages 54 and 99, which seems to 

 prove that the printer's '* reader " had not the keen eye of the 

 trained Falcon. 



The Birds of Glamorgan. Compiled by a Committee of the 

 Cardiff Naturalists' Society. Cardiff: South Wales Print- 

 ing Works, St. Mary Street. 



The very name of Cardiff inspires a view of docks and coal- 

 mines rather than the sylvan haunts of birds, and we read in the 

 introduction to this very handsomely printed avian enumeration 

 that the establishment of the iron industry and the working 

 of the coal-measures have contributed to reduce the number 

 and variety of " our bird species." Still, Glamorgan is not 

 wholly given up to the devastating instincts of commercial man, 

 and a list of its birds compiled to-day will be material to compare 

 a hundred years hence with what its avian fauna may be then. 



The list contains the names of two hundred and thirty-five 

 species, including such rarities as the Rusty Crackle {Scoleoco- 

 phagus ferrugineus) , a native of boreal regions, shot near Cardiff in 

 1881; the Little Carolina Crake (Porzana Carolina), captured at 

 Cardiff in 1888; and Pallas's Great Grey Shrike {Lanius major), 

 shot near Bridgend in 1881. We quite agree with the condemnation 

 of the practice of providing a violent death for strange birds ; 

 but may we not ask how we should have recorded the presence 

 of two out of the three above birds without the aid of the gun. 

 It is pleasant reading to find that the Kingfisher still abounds, 

 that the Goldfinch is on the increase, the Hawfinch is pushing 

 westward and is breeding in the county, the Merlin is regarded 

 as common, the Kestrel is abundant, and the Sparrow-Hawk 

 fairly numerous, notwithstanding the persecution of the game- 

 keeper; but, on the other hand, the Marsh-Harrier is supposed 

 to be now extinct, and the Hen-Harrier as almost so, the Chough 

 has decreased very much of late years, while the same remark 

 applies to the Land-Rail. 



The excellent print and general *' get up " of this book is 

 worthy of all commendation. 



