ornithologist's text-book. 191 



Henry Barlow, Esq., J. D. Weston, Esq., Surgeon, 

 and many others. 



History of the Rarer British Birds. Intended 

 as a Supplement to Bewick's " History of British 

 Birds." By T. C. Eyton, Esq. Longman and Co. 

 London. Part I, Jan. 1836. Demy 8vo, 3s. 6d. 

 Royal 8vo, 7s. 



In the present work, all the new species not 

 figured by Bewick, are included. The plan of the 

 work appears to be excellent, and the whole is well 

 " got up," but surely the author cannot have met 

 with the last edition of Bewick's British Birds, 

 published in 1832. If he will take the trouble of 

 referring to that edition, he will there find cuts of 

 the Alpine Abern (Neophron lencocephalus) and 

 Bluethroated Fantail ( ' Pandicilla suecica, Blyth). 

 But though this is obviously a needless repetition, 

 we are little disposed to quarrel with the author 

 on that account, and will now proceed to investi- 

 gate the merits of the figures and letterpress in 

 succession. 



The number opens with a representation of the 

 Alpine Abern. which appears to us, as far as we 

 can judge from the stuffed specimens we have seen, 

 to be characteristic. The vignette at the close of 

 the description consists of the head of this bird, 

 executed in a masterly style, and with scrupulous 

 ornithological nicety. The second figure (the 

 Redlegged Falcon) is a beautiful cut ; and the 

 third (the Tithys Redstart) pleases us as well as 

 any in the number. Of the Bluethroated Fantail 

 we cannot speak so favourably, though there is 

 much, finish, both about the bird and the surround- 

 ing herbage. And, moreover, who ever saw a bird 

 straining its head round towards the right side, in 



