276 THE ZOOLOGIST. 



is it as important." The Snipe (Gallinago australis), although 

 scattered over a wide area, is nowhere plentiful, and, as stated 

 by Colonel Legge some twenty-five years ago, is decreasing in 

 numbers. The conditions, according to Mr. Littler, are now far 

 worse than they were then, and sportsmen complain that some 

 years they never see a Snipe. " The whole thing is very 

 puzzling, for there are still a number of localities ideal in their 

 way for Snipe — localities where the birds would be very little 

 disturbed." We could add numerous other bionomical facts of 

 equal interest if space permitted and we wished to pillage this 

 volume, a course, for both reasons, which we cannot pursue. 



The illustrations are numerous and excellent ; no longer the 

 artist's set up of birds as seems to him befitting, but photographs 

 of nests and breeding haunts, taking us straight to nature and 

 away from the glass case and museum limitations. Mr. Littler 

 should feel quite satisfied with this faunistic contribution, and 

 doubtless his book will reach many ornithological shelves. 



A Synonymic Catalogue of Orthoptera. By W. F. Kikby. Vol. III. 

 Orthoptera Saltatoria (Locustidae vel Acridiidas). Published 

 by the Trustees of the British Museum. 



This thick and most useful volume completes Mr. Kirby's 

 general Catalogue of the Orthopterous Insects of the World, and 

 may be taken as the last of the official work of the author at the 

 British Museum, for Mr. Kirby has reached the age at which 

 the departmental guillotine gently severs official engagements, 

 and relegates its old servants into the well-earned retirement of 

 private life. 



This Catalogue is written on the best moderate conservative 

 lines. All errors known to the author have been carefully cor- 

 rected, but no endeavour has been made to turn the subject 

 topsy-turvy by an unnecessary resuscitation of names long since 

 dead and buried, or by changing the classificatory arrangement 

 on personal idiosyncrasies as frequently seems the one thing 

 needful in some modern works of a similar nature. Mr. Kirby's 

 great knowledge of entomological literature unusually equips 

 him for these compilations, and he is to be recognized as the 

 veteran writer of entomological catalogues on the synonymic 



