Birds. By A. H. Evans, M.A. (Macmillan and Co. 17a.)—
Several volumes of the " Cambridge Natural History " have already appeared, and they have been welcomed as valuable contributions to the modern literature of zoology. Mr. Evans's book on the birds is worthy of a high place among the other volumes of the series which have preceded it. There exists, so far as we are aware, no other work on ornithology of a similar kind. It is, of course, strictly scientific, and in that sense would be considered by some a dry book. In sicco ludunt ;Vim, says Virgil, which Mr. Evans, on his title-page, is pleased to translate, " Loons disport themselves in dry matters." The amount of information which has been put into one thick volume is considerable, and for the purposes of a student or traveller there has been no undue compression. As a general survey of the whole class Ares this book has many merits. It is portable, clearly written, and comprehensive. On the much-disputed question of classification we will say nothing, save that Mr. Evans has adopted, with some slight modifications, the scheme propounded by Dr. Gadow. After a short introductory chapter, the whole book is devoted to a survey of the families and their distinguishing charac- ters. and in some cases to a short account of genera and even species. Mr. G. E. Lodge has illustrated the volume with a great number of excellent woodcuts of birds typical of the different families. We cordially recommend the book as the most trustworthy of recent general works on ornithology.
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