16 FEBRUARY 1895, Page 24

The Nests and Eggs of Non-Indigenous British Birds, or Such

Species that do not Breed within the British Archipelago. By Charles Dixon. (Chapman and Hall.)—The fauna of the British Islands is richer proportionately to that of the Continent, in birds than in other animals; for birds are migratory, and a large number of species visit our shores more or less frequently, which seldom or never breed here; and it is these which Mr. Dixon discusses in the present volume, which is supplementary to his previous work, entitled "The Nests and Eggs of British Birds." Under each species, the information given is arranged under the follow- ing heads :—Breeding Area ; Breeding Habits ; Range of Egg, Colouration, and Measurement ; and Diagnostic Characters. Two appendices are added :—" List of British Species whose Nests and Eggs are at present unknown to Science," and "List of Species whose claim to rank as British is doubtful." There are good indices ; and the coloured frontispiece represents the eggs of nine showy species, among which that of the great auk is conspicuous.