65 



NOTES AND COMMENTS. 



COLOURATION OF EGGS. 

 In the ' Memoirs of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical 

 •Society,' recently issued, Mr. Ellison makes an interesting- com- 

 munication with reference to the colouration of egg-s, and gives 

 examples of exceptions to the theory of protective colouration, 

 such exceptions being in the case of eggs of birds which nest 

 together in large numbers, as the Sandwich Tern, Black- 

 headed Gull, Guillemot, etc. In the case of the Guillemot 'it is 

 generally supposed that the birds having- had few enemies, the 

 colouration of the eggs is not subject to any natural restraint and 

 they have developed exraordinary variations.' Similarly 'the 

 Sandwich Tern and the Black-headed Gull often breed together 

 in perfect harmony, and, being very pugnacious, protect them- 

 selves by uniting in force to drive off their enemies.' In illustra- 

 tion of his remarks Mr. Ellison gives a plate showing the 

 eg-g-s of the Sandwich Tern in Cumberland, which the Society 

 has kindly permitted us to reproduce (Plate I.). 



BIRDS BY LAND AND SEA. 

 The number of books that has been published in recent years 

 relating to bird life surely makes it difficult for the authors to 

 select a suitable title for their works. The publishers' difficulties, 

 however, must be of a more serious nature. Owing to the great 

 quantity on the market a book dealing with this subject must 

 have something substantial about it— it must be well 'got up,' 

 carefully written by one who is familiar with his subject, and 

 must be well illustrated. ' Birds by Land and Sea,''" by J. M. 

 Boraston, meets with all these requirements. In its 270 pages 

 the author gives a carefuLrecord of almost daily observations of 

 birds occurring near- Stretford, on the northern bank of the 

 Mersey, during the twelve months ending September 1903. 

 Notes on the birds of Cheshire, Anglesey, and Puffin Island are 

 also given. But the great charm of ' Birds by Land and Sea ' 

 lies in the fifty-odd plates containing photographs of birds and 

 their nests and eggs. The beauty of these has beeii rarely 

 excelled, and in themselves they are worth the half-g-uinea 

 charged for the volume. One of. these we are able to reproduce 

 by the courtesy of the publishers (Plate II.). The printing of the 

 book has also been carried out with care and reflects every credit 

 upon those concerned. 



* John Lane, London, 1905. 

 1905 March I. B 



