British Game - Birds and Wild - Fowl. By B. R. Morris, M.D. Fourth
Edition. Corrected and Revised by W. B. Tegotmeier,
F.Z.S. With 60 Large Plates, coloured by hand. 2 vols.
(John Nimmo.)—The aim of this large and handsome book is sufficiently described by its title. Paper and printing of the best kind, and carefully coloured plates, show that no pains have been spared to secure it a place on the shelves of the country-house library. The editor has appended to the descriptions of the birds and their habits short references to other works in which new or fuller information can be found. The local names of species in different European countries are also added. The need for the pepublioation of this book, which was written in 1858, is not quite clear. It is not a concise book of reference like Mr. Dixon's recently published "Game-Birds and Wild-Fowl ; " and the anecdotes, though sometimes the result of personal observa- tion, are largely gleaned from works which have been laid under contribution by many writers. The paper on the red- legged partridge may be taken as an example. The date of its successful introduction into Suffolk (by Lord Rendlesham and the Marquis of Hertford, in 1770) is not given. The counties in which it is mainly found are not mentioned, and the greater part of the description of its habits is taken from " Daniel's Rural Sports." But the editor has in many cases added fresh and original matter, notably in the very interesting account of Pallas sand-grouse, and its recent visits to this country, and his bibliographical notes appended to the history of each species are valuable and suggestive.
Previous page
