REVIEWS AND EXCHANGES 189 
December 6 . — K solitary lark singing, appearing like a mere 
speck against the blue and white sky line. 
December 9. — The most common bird this morning was the 
lark. Larks were everywhere and singing joyously. So soon as 
it was fine and bright the birds ceased singing. Is this not 
curious ? 
December 16. — Heard the skylark singing to-day, since which 
time until the end of the month it has been quite silent. 
Thus our extracts cease, and I have devoted so much space 
to the song already that I must not enlarge. 
He who can hear a lark sing without straining eyes heaven- 
wards to catch a sight of the blithe spirit, as Shelley so ably 
described the bird, must surely be one who “ hath no music in 
himself.” I should add that I have known the bird to sing for 
forty-five minutes at a stretch, soaring the whole time, and that 
I have seen it perch on trees, which is a contrary observation to 
that of most writers. 
Of the numbers of these beautiful songsters which are 
caught and consumed during the winter, I have only space to 
say that I am surprised at English men and women who have 
the heart (or the stomach) to digest a bird they must know is 
such a minstrel of “ Liberty, Joy and Love.” 
W. Percival Westell, M.B.O.U. 
REVIEWS AND EXCHANGES. 
Familiar Butlerjiies and Moths. By W. F. Kirby, F.L.S., with eighteen plates 
containing 216 illustrations in colour. Cassell and Co. Price 6s. 
In spite of the large number of cheap introductory works on entomology that 
have issued from the press of late years, we confidently assert that there is no 
English work, at anything like the price, which affords so attractive, so accurate, 
and so well-illustrated a guide to the beginner in the study of the Lepidoptera, 
as does this new book by Mr. Kirby. Mr. Kirby’s name is a sufficient guarantee 
of the thorough accuracy of the work ; but we hasten to mention that, though 
intended for the young collector and containing much useful advice on when and 
how to collect Lepidoptera, Mr. Kirby does not rest content with mere descrip- 
tions to aid in identification, but adds an introduction to the whole biology of this 
order of insects which is none the less scientific because it is expressed in simple 
language, as free as possible from technicalities. The shape of the book — a 
quarto — is unlike that of the other “ Familiar ” series published by Messrs. 
Cassell : but it follows the example of its predecessors in not being restricted to 
British species ; and when we add that, while six plates, comprising fifty-two 
species, are devoted to butterflies, three plates figure fourteen species of hawk- 
moths, and the remaining plates include 104 species of moths, it will be seen 
that it is no mere “ butterfly book.” In several cases larvae, pupae and food-plants 
are also figured. The plates are, we think, the best specimens of colour-printing 
Messrs. Cassell have yet produced ; but the irregular arrangement of the reference 
numbers is somewhat annoying. The type is large and clear ; but we could have 
wished for a more reposeful cover. To produce such a book at the price is indeed 
a triumph. 
