NATURE NOTES 
134 
fifteen or sixteen books and articles dealing with his subject, 
which he gives on p. 330, “ an exceedingly meagre one.” For- 
tunately for us, however, this is by no means Mr. Hudson’s only 
purpose ; so that, in spite of these previous works, we feel when 
we have read it that we could ill spare the charming volume of 
essays that he has given us — essays, by the way, which have 
not, as is so often the case now-a-days, appeared elsewhere 
before being issued in book form. 
Judging from the familiarity with the bird life of our open 
spaces which he exhibits, Mr. Hudson would seem to be as 
much at home in London as in La Plata, and all who have been 
fascinated with the style of his earlier works will know that in 
Dabchick on Nest {from a photograph by R. B. Lodge). 
this work they have a treat in store. The author, too, has been 
ably assisted by his illustrators, the book containing seventeen 
plates and fifteen illustrations in the text. By the kindness of 
the publishers we are able to give a specimen of the latter by 
each of the three artists. 
Mr. Hudson’s general conclusion is that the comparative 
abundance and variety of wild bird life in the different open 
spaces depends on the degree of protection and encourage- 
ment the birds receive, and we fully endorse everything he says 
in support of this conclusion, as to the mistakes of the Hyde 
Park authorities in sacrificing every carrion crow for the sake of 
their very numerous ducklings, and in thinning these latter with 
