4 
ORNITHOLOGY IN 1850. 
“A List of the Specimens of British Animals in the Collection of the 
British Museum, Part iii., Birds,” is one of those useful catalogues of 
the zoological contents of the great national collection, of which 
twenty-four parts have already appeared. This one, we are told 
in the introduction, has been prepared by Mr. George Robert Gray, 
the senior superintendent of the ornithological department, and 
a short extract from that portion of the work will best expla 
its objects, . 
“The principal object of the present catalogue has been to give 
a complete list of all the birds that have been recorded as found in 
Great Britain (should not and Ireland been added *), indicating at 
the same time those species that are contained in the collection, 
and pointing out those peculiarities as regards age, sex, habitat, 
and the source from which the specimens were obtained, which are 
mentioned after the specific name and its synonyma; while the 
localities of those species not contained in the collection are also 
tecorded.” From this catalogue we gain a knowledge of the extent 
of the collection of British Birds, the species admitted being under- 
Stood to be all British killed ; and we regret to learn from it, that 
there is a want of an instructive series of the different states, inci- 
dent to age and sex, while several of our common or easily obtained 
gs are nearly or altogether absent. As an example of this, 
ere is only one specimen of Sitia europea, Anthus arboreus, 
Muscicapa atricapilla, all easily procured. None of Regulus 
‘IMcapillus or Anthus rupestris, the latter common around every 
Past of our shores, where the locality is suitable. Only a single 
Specimen of J'etrao tetriv, no female, No Uria ringuia, &., &e. 
a very trifling expense would easily render much more perfect this 
‘partment of our ornithological collection.* 
re Birds and Wild Fowl, their Friends and Foes, by A. E. Knox, 
ia PLS. author of Ornithological Rambles in Sussea.— London, 
Sai dt its 1860,? Although not a book of Scientific Ornithology, 
ea hier this in our list of the year, as containing many notes 
in Taits of the manners of our natiye species ; and notwithstand- 
8 that the habits of our British birds have been already pretty 
sgh : : 
alae habitat given for Scolopax brehmi, was “Jardine Hall,” and “ vicinity of 
: : len,” not “near Lockerby.” ; 
