BOOK NOTICES NOTES AND NEWS. 



43 



BOOK NOTICES. 

 Report on the Migration of Birds in the Spring and 



Autumn of 1883.— By J. A. Harvie-Brown, J. Cordeaux, R. M. 

 Barrington, and A. G, Afore. 8vo, 130 pages. (London, 1S84.) 



Like its predecessors, this report is a voluminous and detailed record of facts 

 concerning migratory movements as observed at the various lighthouses and light- 

 vessels on the coasts of the British Islands. It is much to be regretted that there 

 are still no returns from the west coast of England and Isle of Man stations, and the 

 bi-eak in the continuity of the records is most unfortunate. The returns from the 

 east coast of England, which are perhaps the most important in their bearings 

 upon the objects of the committee, and are also of the most interest for our 

 readers, have been worked up by Mr. Cordeaux, who has received them from 

 twenty-five lighthouses and light-vessels, of which the Longstone, Inner Fame, 

 Coquet Island, Whitby High, Flamborough Head, and Spurn lighthouses, and 

 the Tees, Spurn (Newsand), Outer and Inner Dowsing, Dudgeon, and Llyn 

 Wells light-vessels constitute the northern section. The Heligoland observations 

 of M. Gatke are also noted by Mr. Cordeaux, and are of the highest value in 

 connexion with our own East coast returns. A careful perusal of Mr. Cordeaux's 

 portion of the report gives one an idea of the immense numbers in which 

 birds make periodical 'rushes' in suitable weather across the North Sea. The 

 principal of these rushes in 1883 were observed on the 21st of September, the 12th 

 and 13th of October, again from the 27th to the 31st, and from the 6th 

 to the 8th of November. On these dates the birds crossed by millions instead 

 of the usual hundreds or thousands of the intervening periods. The mild and 

 genial winter of 1883-4, with its absence of severe spells of hard weather at 

 the time of migration, was favourable to the birds and unfavourable to observ- 

 ing them. Their movements were facilitated, and they were able to proceed direct 

 inland and spread themselves over the country without being compelled to stop 

 exhausted at the coast-line to recruit. As a result, birds have been more 

 numerously observed at the light-vessels moored out at sea than they were at the 

 coast lighthouses, thus leading to lighter returns from the latter ; this being more 

 particularly noticeable in the Scottish reports. Various more or less rare species 

 are noted in addition to the commoner or regular immigrants, the returns for the 

 north-eastern counties of England including notes of the Black Redstart, Bluethroat, 

 Roller, Hoopoe. Great Snipe, Wood Sandpiper, &c. Other notes (on p. 58) refer to 

 lepidopterous insects, and reference is also made to the occurrence of a large Seal 

 (surmised to be Halichcems gryphus) at the Tees mouth on the 1 8th November, 

 and of the Oar-fish at Flamborough. Altogether the report is — for the mass of 

 valuable facts which it contains — well worth the small sum which is charged for it, 

 and we feel sure that many of our readers would — if they were aware of the 

 extent of the pecuniary liabilities to which the recorders are subject, in addition 

 to the heavy labour of collecting and arranging the returns — assist the committee 

 by purchasing copies. — W^. D.R. 



NOTES AND NEWS. 



The Annual Report of the Liverpool Geological Association, dated ist October, 

 1883, has been sent us. The work of the Association appears to be in a flourish- 

 ing state, and its membership is 127. Numerous excursions have been held, and 

 several interesting papers read at the evening meetings. The President for the 

 current year is Mr. Henry Bramall, M.Inst.C.E., and Mr. Osmund W. Jeffs is the 

 Secretary. 



>oX 



Anew 'Flora of British Fungi (Hymenomycetes)' by a well-known Scottish 

 mycologist. Rev. John Stevenson, of Glamis, is announced as preparing for 

 publication. It is to be illustrated by Mr. W^orthington G. Smith, and is to be in 

 two post octavo volumes. Subgenera as well as genera are to be figured, and the 

 value of the work is to be enhanced by its embodying the views of the eminent 

 Fries, as contained in his extremely scarce Swedish monograph of the same group. 



Sept, 1884. 



