Habits of Birds ¹

Abstract

MR. EDMUND SELOUS, the author of this elegant little volume, is one of the most patient and enthusiastic observers of bird-life in the British Islands, and has recorded details in connection with the habits of several species which have been overlooked by other field-naturalists. If the riddle of nature is ever to be solved by observations; on living animals, Mr. Selous is one of the men who ought to help to solve it, although we are bound to confess that several of his theories, notably the one with regard to the origin of the nest-making instinct, do not appear to ourselves by any means convincing or sufficient. Nests, indeed, form a very favourite theme of the author; so much so, in fact, that when discussing the building of supernumerary nests by various species on pp. 67 and 199, he practically repeats the same thing, namely, that this results, originally, from a simple love of labour and occupation.