^83 



HARCOURT BATH ON BRITISH BIRDS. 



The Young Collector's Handbook of British Birds, and their Nests and 

 Eggs. By W. Harcourt Bath; with a Chapter on Collecting and 

 Preserving Birds, by R. Bowdler Sharpe, F. L. S., F.Z.S., &c. 

 1 12 pp. and Woodcuts. London: Swan Sonnenschein, Lowry & Co. 1888. 



Under this title we have a Httle book which aims at furnishing in 

 eighty 8vo pages a history of our native birds, some 400 strong. 

 Whether it is possible to supply in so small a compass what this book 

 pretends to do, we will not concern ourselves. But as the book is 

 specially and wholly designed for the ' Young Collector,' we must 

 insist that strict accuracy — the cardinal merit of such a manual — be 

 afforded, however small the store of knowledge to be gleaned from 

 it may be. We regret to say that such a primary attribute is entirely 

 wanting in the book before us ; indeed, the book is a veritable 7nultu?n 

 in parvo of errors. Here are a fe^v specimens of Mr. W. Harcourt 

 Bath's knowledge of British ornithology: — 



Page 23. T\)x\x'^ {Turdus varius) . . . is supposed 



by some to be a mere variety of the Song Thrush.' Mr. W. Harcourt 

 Bath does not tell his readers that it is a perfectly genuine species. 

 [The italics are ours in this and the following extracts.] 



Page 33. 'The Shore Lark {Otocorys alpestris) inhabits the sea- 

 coast and estuaries of rivers, and always breeds in the vicinity of its 

 habitat.' Marked as a bird known to breed in the British Islands at 

 page 72. 



Page 35. 'The Ortolan Bunting {Emberiza horiuland) is also by 

 no means common in this country. It is principally an inhabitant 

 of the eastern counties, and is resident throughout the year' Marked 

 as a bird known to breed in the British Islands at page 72. 



Page 35. 'The Brambling {Fringilla montifringilla) . . . . 

 sometimes stays to breed.' Marked as a bird known to breed in the 

 British Islands at page 72. 



Page 45. 'The Capercaillie {Tetrao urogallus) 



It is supposed by some ornithologists once to have been an iiidigenous 

 inhabitant of this country.'' 



Page 46. ' The Ptarmigan {Lagopus mutus) is another vioor- 

 loving bird.' 



Page 47. ' The Red-legged Partridge {Perdix rufa) .... 

 has on several occasions been known to breed here.' 



Page 49. 'The Dotterel {Ettdromias niorinellus) is a summer 

 visitor to this country. // breeds on moors and conujwns.' 



Page 49. 'The Ringed Plover {.-Egia/itis hiaticula) is another 

 summer visitor, but is generally considered to be very rare' 



Sept. 1888. 



