Welsh Journals

square brackets. A great deal of valuable information has been gathered into this section. The book is splendidly illustrated with eight habitat photographs and one of the Red-backed Shrike-which bird is quoted as the most notable loss to the breeding birds of the county in the present century. An appendix giving grid references to place names, plus a map on which is imposed the National Grid, will prove of great help to the bird watcher-especially to those new to the county. J.W.D. Seals of the World, by GAVIN MAXWELL, with JOHN STIDWORTHY & DAVID WILLIAMS. World Wildlife Series 2. Constable, London, 1967, 152 pages. 25s. Not at all bad value for the money (since it is edited by the author of Ring of Bright Water, and eminently readable), a useful compendium of our present knowledge of the 32 species of seals, walrus and sea-lions. It is full of interesting tit-bits of information culled from the world literature. But when it comes to our Welsh seals-Surprise, surprise According to the authors our grey seal only comes ashore to moult and breed "much of the rest of the time they are out at sea, so not a great deal is known about their habits". Yet "The seals of Ramsey Island progress overland on their sides rather than the normal method of flopping along on the stomach." Startling news-but more is to come "In Pem- brokeshire the bull stays in the sea and his territory may extend over an area of seashore, or a number of bays. Shortly after the elite [master bulls] have taken possession, the 'lesser' males start to haul out and wage a pitched battle on the shore." Having drawn this amazing, dramatic scene for us, the authors continue with a sym- pathetic picture (from some secret source of information on move- ments of marked seals unknown to us ?) of the forlorn vanquished ones "When the fight has been decided the loser retires to the sea he does not attempt to land again but disappears and wanders at sea for a year before trying his luck again." Curious-and curious- er R.M.L. Animal Navigation by R. M. LOCKLEY. Pan Piper Science Series, 6s. Also hard-back edition, Barker, London, 1967, 205 pages, 21s. Although in the conclusion of this book it is admitted that "We are still left with a mystery", the author gives much fascinating information on what has so far been discovered. The book is divided into two main sections the first deals with the senses which animals use as aids in getting about their own universe, while the second describes some of the orientation feats known in various animal groups. Examples have been selected from an interestingly wide variety of animals-whelks to whales, eels to eagles-though birds, fishes, and certain insects receive most attention. In a general survey such as this, it is a pity that there are not full references to