94 
NATURE NOTES 
platform. It is just those delightful bye-ways of ornithology, such as nest- 
building, courtship and dancing, decoration, sexual and mimetic, migration and 
distribution, which find no place in Mr. Evans’ volume recently reviewed in these 
columns, that furnish the chief topics of Dr. Sharpe’s charming dissertations. 
Space does not allow of our giving any adequate quotation ; but many of our 
readers may be glad to know that in a chapter on “ Parasitic Birds” they can 
read here z« extenso the accounts of the ejection of its companion by the young 
cuckoo, as given by Mrs. Hugh Blackburn and John Hancock. As to this 
Little Bittern in Reed-Beu. (Shewing protective resemblance.) 
matter we can only “say ditto” to Dr. Sharpe’s remark, that “ It seems rather 
extraordinary that the details of a cuckoo’s life .should not all have been mastered 
considering the number of good field naturalists which abound in Britain, but 
there is much which is still mysterious in the ways of this species, and many 
things which require explanation.” Considering the numerous whole-page and 
other illustrations by Mr. Elwes, many of which are excellent — and of which, by 
the courtesy of the publishers, we are able to give two examples — and the general 
get up of the volume, we can only pronounce it a marvel of cheapness. 
Received. — Board of Agrictdltire Leaflets : 'Ho. 54, The Spotted Flycatcher 
(Muscicapa Grisola), and No. 55, The Swallow (/Jirundo rustica), both illus- 
trated and gratuitous ; Science Work, No. 3, with illustrated supplement ; Animal 
World, Animals' Friend, Humanity, Our Animal Friends, '1 he Naturalist , The 
Irish Naturalist, and Knowledge for Airi il ; Society for the I'rotection of Birds, 
Eighth Annual Report, with Summary of the Wild Birds I'rotection Acts ; Essex 
Naturalist, \o\. X., Nos. 19—24; I’ictorian Naturalist for VchmAvy, American 
Society for the I'revention of Cruelty to Animals, Thirty-thhd Annual Report; 
Dundee Free Library Report ; Biographical Index of British and Irish Botanists : 
Compiled by James Britten, K.S.G., F'. L.S., and G. S. Boulger, F'.L.S., F'.G.S. ; 
First Supjrlement (1893-97). 
