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Beviews



is provided and made extremely interesting. Nearly every species

seems to have been bred or is being bred in Australia, and in addition

the number of hybrids which have been produced there is surprising.

Two of the plates are given up to these and show about a dozen different

crosses painted from examples bred in Australia. Besides the coloured

plates the book is well provided with photographs of nests, birds,

aviaries, etc., as well as most useful outline maps which show at a

glance the distribution of the different species, and it will surprise some

of us to find how comparatively limited this so often is. Taking

everything into consideration one can safely say that here is the almost

perfect avicultural book and Australia is indeed lucky in having an

artist-author to produce and publishers willing to publish such a

delightful book at the price, which (if the same as the author’s previous

book What’s That Bird ?) will be 12s. 6 d.


E. H.



THE GREAT CRESTED GREBE INQUIRY, 1931 1


The Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps c. cristatus) is one of our most

ornamental and interesting birds, which may be seen on any of the

large lakes or reservoirs of this country, even within a few miles of the

metropolis. It has increased enormously during the last half-century,

and it is difficult to realize that 50 years ago it was threatened with

extinction on account of the craze that was then in vogue for the

wearing of “ Grebe furs Legislation came to the assistance of this

bird in 1880, since which year it has gradually re-established itself.


In 1930 two very keen ornithologists were making an ecological

study of aquatic birds in Surrey, which led them to follow up certain

lines of inquiry into the distribution and habits of the Great Crested

Grebe. This proved to be a very large undertaking. A schedule of the

necessary questions was drawn up and widely circulated. Appeals for

help were published in the daily, evening, and local newspapers, and

letters were written to every well-known naturalist, to local observers,

taxidermists, town clerks, and clergy with lakes in their parishes,


1 By T. H. Harrisson and P. A. D. Holland,| reprinted from British Birds,

and published by H. F. and G. Witherby, 326 High Holborn, W.C.l. Price 2s. 6d.



