The Geese of Europe and Asia

Abstract

AT the present day most works on ornithology of a general character are of little permanent value because the broad outlines of the northern fauna have already been adequately dealt with. What we want, and what we so seldom see, are complete life-histories of separate groups of birds, adequately illustrated and described by ornithologists who are both well acquainted with them in the field and are capable of summarising their labours in an accurate scientific account. To do this a very large series of birds must be collected, examined and digested, and this means years of travelling and study with little monetary reward as the result. Nevertheless, the works of such men are of great and permanent value, although their costly nature must ever be a constant drawback to the producer. No good form of colour printing is cheap, and as this is a sine qua non in works of this kind, the results can only pass into the hands of a public “fit but few.”

The Geese of Europe and Asia.

By Sergius Alpheraky. Pp. viii + 198; 24 plates. (London: Rowland Ward, Ltd., 1905.) Price 3l. 3s. net.