Abstract
“THE present work,” remarks Mr. Dixon in his preface, “forms the companion volume to ‘The Nests and Eggs of British Birds,’ and renders the subject of British Oology complete, so far as our knowledge now extends. It deals exclusively with the nidification of the birds that do not breed in the British Archipelago, but visit our islands regularly in winter, pass our coasts on passage, or pay them their more or less irregular visits as wanderers from their normal areas of disposal.” Nearly two hundred species are described as belonging to this class. For each bird, information is given as to the breeding area, breeding habits, range of egg colouration and measurement, and the diagnostic characters of the eggs. In an appendix, the author states his reasons for believing that the nests and eggs of the following species are at present unknown to science:—Rustic bunting, Pallas's grey shrike, Siberian ground thrush, needle-tailed swift, solitary sandpiper, Siberian pectoral sandpiper, curlew sandpiper, knot, Ross's gull, great shearwater, collared petrel, capped petrel, Cape petrel, and white-billed diver. A list of forty species, individuals of which have been said to occur within the limits of the British Isles, but which Mr. Dixon regards as doubtful British species, is also appended to the volume. It remains for the scientific naturalist to collect some definite information on the species enumerated in these lists.
The Nests and Eggs of Non-Indigenous British Birds.
By Charles Dixon. Pp. 360. (London: Chapman and Hall, 1894.)
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[Book Reviews]. Nature 51, 30 (1894). https://doi.org/10.1038/051030b0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/051030b0