bestowed on Ornithology having resulted in its detection in various parts of the South of England.
The remarks on the nesting of the Siskin deserve careful perusal, and various interesting notes on the local names of birds and their derivation, which are scattered throughout this number, cannot fail to be acceptable to ornithologists.
On taking up this pamphlet, the first thing that strikes us is the obvious inconvenience which results from publishing an Appendix in a larger form than the volume which it is intended to supplement, the original publication being a small post and the present addition a demy octavo. The two consequently cannot be bound together. Saving this objection, the new pages bear testimony to the interest which is taken in one at least of our public schools in the subject of Natural History, and to the progress which is being made in a particular branch of it.
We are glad to see that the objections which we pointed out to the systematic arrangement adopted by Mr. Im Thurn in his earlier production have since received his consideration and concurrence, and that he now admits the inconvenience which has been found to arise from it. He says:—
"I now think that the plan is useless, and only serves to confuse the reader. If it is adopted in a history of the birds of a district, it should at least be accompanied by a synoptic list of the whole of the birds in their proper order. I now hold this view so strongly that I take the present opportunity to give such a list, in which will be found the names of all the birds which we know to have occurred within a district extending for eight miles round Marlborough."
The reasons for fixing this limit will be found in the preface to the earlier publication.
The new species which have been added to the list since 1870 are the Hen Harrier, Whimbrel, Spotted Crake, Pintailed Duck, Scaup, Common Scoter, Shag and Little Gull, almost all of which are inserted on the strength of a single occurrence, while the majority of them can only be regarded as purely accidental visitants to the district.
