NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 358 
studies and criticisms which largely help to show the evolution 
in biological thought and knowledge, and for which naturalists 
will be grateful to him. We wish the work had contained some 
portraits as well. 
Birds of Northumberland and the Eastern Borders. By GroreE 
Botam. Henry Hunter Blair, Alnwick. 
Mr. Bonam has achieved a very considerable success in the 
preparation of this volume; it is not only a reliable enumeration 
and history of the birds of Northumberland and the Hastern 
Borders, but it is enriched with many notes, quotations, and 
references appertaining to the subject which give his book a 
unique status in ornithological literature, and make it one of 
the most readable of county records. The introduction contains 
biographical notes of no little value referring to old naturalists 
who lived and worked in Northumberland, and we even find 
interesting entomological observations. ‘Thus, referring to the 
Glowworm (Lampyris noctiluca), Mr. Bolam adds: “ In addition 
to its well-known habit of preying upon slugs, I have seen this 
insect devouring ‘ green fly’ (Aphides).”’ As regards the nomen- 
clature, that used in Saunders’s ‘ Manual’ (except in one or two 
cases) has been followed, but it is pointed out that, although 
Cygnus bewicki, Yarrell, is applied to Bewick’s Swan, it should 
in strict priority be remembered that it was ‘‘ Mr. R. R. Wingate, 
of Newcastle, who first called attention to the distinctness of 
this species from the common Wild Swan, a discovery which 
was communicated by him to the members of the Natural 
History Society of Northumberland, Durham, and Newcastle-on- 
Tyne on 20th October, 1829. On 16th February following, Selby 
read a paper to the same Society further elucidating the dis- 
covery, and the name of Cygnus bewickti of Wingate, then given 
to it, ought in fairness to have priority. Yarrell’s paper setting 
out the like facts was read to the Linnean Society, 19th January, 
1830.” 
Mr. Bolam has well garnered his notes and observations, and 
if some have been recorded elsewhere, it is still a matter of con- 
sratulation that few indeed are missing from this excellent 
faunistic publication. 
Zool. 4th ser. vol. XVI., September, 1912. QE 
