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ANALYSIS OF BOOKS. 
Our Summer Migrants. An Account of the Migratory Birds 
which pass the Summer in the British Islands. ByJ. E. 
Harting, F.L.S., F.Z.S. London : Bickers and Son. 
We have here an account of forty-nine species of birds which 
regularly or occasionally visit this country in the summer season, 
and, after laying their eggs and rearing their young brood, depart 
to spend the winter in some milder climate. We say generally 
because the author includes in his survey two beautiful and 
harmless species, the hoopoe and the golden oriole, which are 
only occasionally to be seen in our woods and gardens, and are, 
for the most part, wantonly murdered as soon as they are recog- 
nised. The brutish idiot who has done the deed then writes to 
the papers, and conceives that he has rendered a service to 
Natural History. One wretch, as here recorded, finding an 
oriole’s nest, near Sandwich, took the young birds and gave 
them to his ferrets. Thus the true naturalist is deprived of the 
opportunity of studying the habits of such species. It is re- 
marked that the hoopoe and the oriole were formerly more 
numerous in Britain than at present, and unless the law is 
sharpened and public opinion becomes more enlightened both 
these birds will soon rank in the extindt list, as far as these 
islands are concerned. . . 
The stork, which was once as regular a summer visitant in 
Britain as on the opposite shores ofHolland and Belgium, has 
already disappeared from our list, and is not noticed by Mr. 
Even the nightingale is in no little peril. We learn that in 
1867 “ three London bird-catchers between April 13th and 
May 2nd took 225 nightingales,” and that the previous year 
<< these same bird-catchers had supplied the dealer by whom 
they were employed with 280 nightingales.” It is manifest that 
no species — save, perhaps, the sparrow — could resist such an 
addition to the natural causes of destruaion against which it 
has to contend. The possessing or offering for sale a captive 
nightingale ought to be visited with a heavy penalty. Let once 
the bird-catcher and the dealer be fined in sums heavier 
than they can possibly realise by the sale of the unfortunate 
captives, and they will very soon drop their unhallowed business. 
As far as we remember, the penalty in Prussia for capturing 
nightingales during the breeding season is about £4 105. . 
Mr. Harting’s accounts of the various species deal principally 
