Retorts

Birds of New Zealand

Lindsey Connor's short review of the new Field Guide to the Birds of New Zealand [Under the Microscope, August] invites comment.

Divided into field guide and handbook sections, the work makes unconventional use of the zoogeographic terms palaearctic and nearctic. Its claim to be a companion volume to an Australian field guide written by Simpson and Day is excessive, as is the use of the word "common" where mostly "conspicuous" would be the better term. The vernacular name white-throated shag is not given as a synonym for the little shag. The name hedgesparrow has been changed to dunnock so for consistency the word albatross should have replaced mollymawk and cormorant for shag.

That comment made, this book will be an essential ornithologists' aid.

Hallam Secker, Featherston