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Books on Shanghai are not numerous. If a bibliography be consulted, it will be found that of the few, a very, small percentage indeed relate to features other than those which are essentially material. Birds are, of course, material in the sense that they are physical compounds, but Mr. Wilkinson turitely has not regarded the bird life that can be studied in and around Shanghai with the eye of a st. Many readers know as made a very delightful hobby of studying the habits-of birds: that are resident in, of visitors to, Shanghai, over a jong course of years. The result of this labour jot love now makes its appearance in a form of which both bird lover and book lover will be appreciative. 2 Mr. Wilkinson, with characteris! modesty, disclaims the purpose of presenting a "scientific" text-book, but itis obvious that he knows more, and has read, understandingly, more of ornithology than probably. five! out of a thousand of those who will read this book with delight, He has succeeded, by the use of easy English and familiar terms, in disguising his really deep knowledge of hhis subject. Those who know nothing of bird lore, bat who listen with genuine pleasure to the twittering the trees, or even the song of a captive canary—though the latter is heard with an under-current of sadness by the sentimentalist—will find many of Mr. Wilkinson's chapters of absorbing interest. And those with some knowledge will be glad of the opportunity to add thereto, The Kindly, modest, and capable the paths into which he leads are. pleasant—what more can be asked? No resident of Shanghai! whose interest in his surroundings! {is not absorbed in the solution of the economic problem, or the pursuit, of pleasure, should fail to read those chapters of this book in which the author shows how easy it really is to gain an understanding knowledge of our visitors whose shyness is lessened, if it cannot be entirely' overcome, by letting them know that: humans-do not regard them entirely from the point of view of the sportsman or the lover of "gamey" food.
"As. Mr. Wilkinson remarks, the {Mlustrations are necessarily the keynote of a book of this nature, and the pictures in "Shanghai Birds" lave provided by Mr. Henrik Gronvold. To praise the work of be great a bird artist would be an Impertinence: it is sufficient to, say that the coloured plates are worthy of their producer.
The appearance of the book will be attractive to the booklover. It is large octavo size with a green cloth cover lettered in gilt. The chapter headings may be quoted to both the ornithologist and the amateur in bird study an idea of Mr. Wilkinson's breadth of treatment of a delightful subj Following the usual indices come chapters on: tilention and observation of Anise of common birds briefly Notes on the sounds made by birds and the advantage of knowing ing of birds:
Srlontation, instinct, and known one is given 'a separate page to itself and strated in its natural colours. We regret that we cannot illustrate the colours, but we take the liberty of reprinting a page describing that: well-known local humorist in bird life, the mynah (sometimes known as the "one-more-bottle" bird, in imitation of its call)
Order: PassEnes Family: Stuanpz
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.