Despite its being designed to run on all computers with DOS 2.0 or higher, I found 
that the programme would not operate on three out of four supposedly suitable 
systems, and would often 'hang.' The help screens are often inadequate and the 
documentation is poorly produced. Despite the claims in the manual, this 
software is neither revolutionary nor remarkably user-friendly. It is, however, 
supplied in a durable rigid case. 
Mark Boyd 
Zoology in the Middle East, Volume 4. 1990. Edited by Ragnai 
Kinzelbach and Max Kasparek. Heidelberg. DM 25. 
This is the fourth issue of this increasingly regular journal, it now being the stated 
aim of the editors to make a virtually annual publication. Previous reviews {Bull. 
19:40-41; 25:36-37) have outlined the scope of the journal. 
Fourteen papers are presented in the 120 pages of the present volume, the 
contents being divided as follows: mammals (two papers), birds (four), insects 
(three), Crustacea (one), arachnids (one), leeches (one), molluscs (one), parasites 
(one) and scyphozoa (one). A welcome development is the increasing number of 
papers submitted by Middle East nationals and residents. 
The subjects of the four bird papers are as follows: On the distribution and status 
of the Black Francolin Francolinus francolinus in Cyprus; First record of the Storm 
Petrel Hydrobates pelagicus in Turkey; On the migration of the Whimbrel Numenius 
phaeopus in Turkey; and On the migration of the Whimbrel in Bulgaria. 
The paper on Black Francolins is a useful contribution to knowledge of the 
species' status in the eastern Mediterranean. The Storm Petrel paper is only a 
short communication, and, unfortunately, only brief identification characters are 
presented for this important but not unexpected record. 
The two papers dealing with Whimbrel migration comprise the main body of 
bird-related material. Both are interesting and informative, although one may 
say with the benefit of recent hindsight that the species is distinctly more 
common in Turkey than Kasparek suggests. Nonetheless, the main points, 
including the timing and concentration of migration are correct. 
Two other papers will be of interest to birders: Notes on mammals (Insectivora, 
Rodentia) taken by the Tawny Owl Strix aluco in N.W. Turkey; and Flat-worms 
of two species of gull {Larus ichthyaetus and L G2nus)[Great Black-headed and 
Common Gulls] from Basrah, Iraq. 
Another paper. Historical record of a Tiger Panthera tigris (Linnaeus 1758), in 
Iraq, also interested me. 
The journal continues to act as a useful vehicle for shorter papers on a range of 
topics that may otherwise not be published. It is typically well produced, and the 
material well presented, justifying its cost of just under £10. The continued 
preponderance of bird papers dealing with Turkish ornithology, in part no doubt 
resulting from the interests in one half of the editorial team, will satisfy (but never 
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