Welsh Journals

SALMON, H. MORREY (1957). The Rarer Birds of Prey Kite. Brit. Birds Vol. 50 137. A summary of the status of the Kite (Milvus milvus) which in the British Isles is now confined to Wales (where its conservation is undertaken principally by members of the West Wales Field Society with support from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, the Cardiff Naturalists' Society, etc.). The Handbook of Brit. Birds incorrectly gives the probable number of kites as only five birds in 1905-it was at least nine and possible twelve. The known population, including young birds, rose to about 55 at the end of the 1954 breeding season. After a bad year in 1955 it was reduced to 20. There is no evidence of loss of fertility due to inbreeding, though clutches are rarely more than two eggs, and usually only one bird is reared. Some winter in Wales, but there is strong evidence that some, probably the young birds, migrate south in autumn and return in spring. The author makes the point that if the kite is to survive (and there is a reasonable chance that it may) there must be less visiting of its nesting districts in spring by all and sundry-from egg-collectors to merely curious bird-watchers or uninterested campers and caravanners. (V.A.P.) GREEN, J. (1956). Halacarid and Porohalacarid mites from Skokholm Island and the Isle of Man. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., Ser. 12. 9 545. Six species of the Halacaridae and two of the Porohalacaridae are recorded from Skokholm Island. Agauopsis brevipalpus Trouessart and Soldanellonyx monardi Walter, are recorded as British for the first time. A revised list of the British Porohalacaridae is given. (P.M.M.) GREEN, J. (1956). Additions to the British Halacaridae (Acari). Ent. mon. Mag., 92 334. Four species of Halacaridae not previously known in Britain found in the gut of Gobius minutus Gmelin, the Common Goby, are recorded from the Gwendraeth Estuary in Carmarthenshire. Rhombognathus levis Viets, 1927 R. uniscutatus Viets, 1939 R. spinipes Viets, 1933, and Caspihalacarus hyrcanus Viets from Gwen- draeth Fach near Kidwelly Castle. (P.M.M.) BOOK REVIEWS GUIDE TO THE COLLECTIONS OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS. Am- gueddfa Genedlaethol Cymru (National Museum of Wales). 8-1 x 51 ins., 36 pp. 1 plate. Cardiff 1957. Price three shillings. Mr. Colin Matheson is .to be complimented on compiling an excellent guide to the collections, which is also a valuable source of reference, presented in a manner that should not fail to arouse the interest of collector or field naturalist. P.M.M.