birds of the grey windby edward allworthy armstrong

Birds of the Grey Wind by Edward Allworthy ArmstrongReview by: J. H. MacLThe Irish Naturalists' Journal, Vol. 7, No. 10 (Sep., 1940), pp. 307-308Published by: Irish Naturalists' Journal Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/25533048 .

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Sept., 1940.] The Irish Naturalists' Journal. 307

author says:?*' I divide the Waterhen's life into cycles, the cycles into parts, the parts into actions. I separate action from action, and

part from part, and thus reduce everything to one. But no part has

separate being or separate value. Each owes its being and its value to the whole, and therefore each has the nature of the whole. But the whole is never the same, for everything is always changing ; and so it comes about that a Waterhen lives in different worlds?territory, sexual, platform and family worlds." Following, these worlds are

probed to the uttermost limit, with the result that very frequently the

" hows" and the

" whys" are given satisfactory explanation,

occasionally we are left with an unsolved problem, or led along the

path of intricate speculation. In "

The Becoming," which is the final

chapter, one delves even deeper into the feelings and perceptions of the bird, together with the relation of chemistry to changes in life, actuated possibly by physical conditions.

The two plates are delightful studies of the Waterhen in photo gravure, while the entire production is an example of printers* art that could not be surpassed.

J. A. S. S.

Birds of the Grey Wind, by Edward Allworthy Armstrong. XV + 228, plates, 12/6 net. Oxford University Press (Humphrey Milford), London.

This book does not claim to be a handlist of Ulster's birds, much less a text-book of ornithology. It rather aims at fulfilling the dual

purpose of interesting the casual reader and affording more or less valuable information to the serious student of birdlife.

This is a difficult >task and considerable success has been achieved, for there is something in it for the historian and the antiquarian, the botanist and the zoologist, and indeed for anyone who loves the

countryside.

The author has presented a background of poetry, folklore and tradition and has woven into it such diverse things as recorded

observations, modern bird behaviour, theories, data on distribution and status, botanical notes and anecdotes.

Some readers, however, may find the language too "

flowery," as

e.g. in has setting out of breeding notes of the rook on pages 23-26.

Many problems old and new are raised and discussed, but one

might say that the author is too ready to offer explanations, as e.g. to attribute three different purposes in the buccal colouration of young and of displaying and menacing adult.

The theories of display and courtship are amply supported by records, and attention is drawn to the little studied aspect of courtship

?corporate dancing. While here and there we find interesting new

theories on such things as injury feigning, etc.

Under the various chapter headings enquirers will find useful information on the avifauna and flora of such districts as Lough

Neagh and Strangford Lough, etc., but there are several litems open to question:

?

Breeding of seals in Strangford Lough?presumably the common seal?is uncertain.

Can the Pintail's nest described on p. 73 be that reported in 1923?

Is it correct to infer, as he does on p. 132, that the Short-Eared Owl does not hunt largely after dusk?

On p. 30 Garron Point is surely misplaced, as is Portrush on the cover map.

The book is well illustrated by nearly 50 photographs, half of which are by the author and about one quarter by C. D. Deane, the remainder by George Bird, Win. Bennett, II. Morley-Salmon and

Riley Fortune.

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308 The Irish Naturalists' Journal. [Vol. VII.

Those deserving special mention are Mute and Bewick Swans, Golden Eagle and Black Guillemots by the author and Hooks, Dippers and Fulmar Petrel by C. D. Deane.

As a wartime bird book written by an Ulsterman mainly about Ireland's birds we wish it

tl Good Luck."

J. H. MacL.

CORRESPONDENCE.

THE YELLOW HAMMER IN IRELAND.

Sir,?Referring to the correspondence (I.N.J., Sept., 1937) about the scarcity or otherwise of this bird in Ireland at present, I do not think that there is any reason to believe its numbers have decreased of late in this district. In winter especially it is very abundant, and fair numbers can be seen in spring and summer as well.

During a motor drive from here to Galway on the 12th of October, 1937, 1 noted the bird at the following places :?Twelve together near

Maryboro', four near Birr, three near Portumna, two near Loughrea, one near Galway. Doubtless there were many I did not see, as a

motorist has other things to look out for while on the road.

I have an idea that as in former days this bird used to be very often seen on the roads when horse traffic predominated, it is less

frequently on the roads now, since the days of motors came in. Besides

this, there has been such an increase in tillage in the country of late, it is probable that these birds are now scattered over a much larger area than formerly.

On the return from Galway as detailed above, I saw a large number of Yellow Hammers on telegraph wires near here, in fact there seemed to be at least one between each pair of posts along a good stretch of the road.?Yours, etc.,

Athy Rectory, Co. Kildare K. M. DUNLOP.

WOOD WHITE BUTTERFLY?A WITHDRAWAL.

Sir,?I regret that in the last Phenological Report, I.N.J., p. 266 ante,

owing to an error of mine the Wood White Butterfly is recorded as

having appeared here on the 9th June, 1939. This record should have

applied to the Meadow Brown. Will readers please make this alteration in their copies of I.NJ.

So far as I know the Wood White has not been seen in Co. Cavan.?Yours, etc.,

Farrinseer, Cornafean, Co. Cavan. R. C. FARIS.

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