Birds of Great Britain and Ireland (Order Passeres). Complete in
2 vols. By Arthur G. Butler, M.B.O.U., Ph.D., F.L.S., &a. Illustrated by H. Gronwald and F. W. Frohawk. Vol. I. (Caxton Publishing Company. £4 4s. per vol.)—When the second volume of Mr. Butler's handsome work appears the Passeres will be complete and the book will end. Although but one order is to be dealt with, it is the order which includes all the common small birds. The attractiveness of Mr. Gronwald's coloured plates will make the work a success. Every species (excluding mere stragglers) is depicted by this well-known Danish artist, and the majority are life size. As a drawer of birds Mr. Gronwald is excellent; but in the landscapes, foliage, and nests his merit is less noteworthy. Mr. Frohawk con- tributes coloured plates of eggs. The text is based on Mr. Butler's own observations, and on the statements of the standard writers, from Yarrell downwards. But his experi- ence in keeping cage-birds gives him an opportunity of record- ing many personal observations about British birds. The coloured plates are not reproduced with the clearness and brilliancy which characterised the late Lord Lilford's figures, the best of which were printed in Germany ; but there is no other available -work which is not eclipsed in the matter of coloured illustrations by the work before us. We have examined much of the text with sufficient care to enable us to recommend the book, though the price (eight guineas) seems large.
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