Some reviewers, we observe, have found fault with the omission of the characters of the families and genera which were given in the original work; but these were avowedly compiled, and not always accurate, and the space previously occupied by these paragraphs is now filled by a vast amount of original matter which is much more to the purpose.
Some idea of the way in which the scope of the book has been extended may be gathered from the fact that in the four parts already issued 322 species occupy 336 pages royal octavo, while in the original work the same number of species occupied only 163 pages demy octavo.
Ten species of Raptorial birds not found in the old edition are included in the new, and a proportionate increase in other orders is apparent as the work progresses.
The following are described as new for the first time:—Caprimulgus fervidus (page 86), Andropadus hypoxanthus (p. 205), Crateropus Kirkii (p. 213), Æthocichla, a new genus with the type Æ. gymnogenys, Hartlaub (p. 215), Neocichla, a new genus with the type N. gutturalis, Bocage (p. 215), Pinarornis plumosus (p. 230), Saxicola Layardi (p. 236), Saxicola Shelleyi (p. 246), Saxicola Andersoni (p. 249), Drymœca hypoxantha (p. 260), Acrocephalus fulvolateralis (p. 288), and Zosterops atmori (p. 326).
The coloured plates in this edition add considerably to the attractiveness and utility of the work. Four parts are already issued; we presume as many more will be necessary to complete it.
Although this is not a recently published work, having been issued in parts at Prague and completed in 1871, it is only recently that arrangements have been made for its publication in London, and as it is very little known in this country, certainly not so much as it deserves to be, we think it right to direct attention to it. Dr. Fritsch's 'Birds of Europe' is chiefly remarkable for the beautiful atlas of plates which accompanies the letterpress,
