Welsh Journals

tings, 46 drawings and maps are by the author, who is an accomplished artist. Butterflies on my Mind: Dulcie Gray: Angus & Robertson: £ 5.75. A book under this title written by a beautiful actress might well be considered frivolous and ethereal. Nothing could be further from the truth. She admits that 'as an actress every night I have butterflies in my belly' and that 'as a person on most days of my life.I have butterflies on my mind.' But she has a deep knowledge of her subject, and her book, it is claimed, 'must become a standard reference for every butterfly lover, touching as it does, with enthusiasm and delight, on just about every aspect of the butterfly's life cycle, habitat, feeding and breeding habits, as well as upon the many people, amateur and professional alike, who have been inspired through the ages to become lepidopterists.' It is written with dedication and with humour, and there are fascinating bits of unimportant information how Edith Sitwell claimed to have been violently slapped in the face by two Peacock butterflies, how Robert Gooden of Worldwide Butterflies started as a spare time butterfly farmer when he was selling saucepans at Harrods. And did you know that The Chequered Skipper Inn at Ashton Wold is the only pub named after a butterfly? In his Foreword, Sir Peter Scott states that the book has a serious purpose to describe and display the beauty of British butterflies, and to en- courage the reader to play a part in their conservation. Conservation is the author's real concern, which is only proper for the Vice-President of the British Butterfly Conservation Society. The book is illustrated by Brian Hargreaves who colourfully portrays most of the seventy British species on their food plant or in their habitats. D.M. Lively, readable and reliable, British Birds is THE journal for all British and Irish birdwatchers whether professional or amateur. Appearing monthly British Birds covers every topic from rarities and identification to behaviour and conservation with news items, profiles, photographic features and numerous drawings. For a year's subscription send £ 12.00 payable to MACMILLAN JOUR- NALS LTD, with your name and address to Subscription Department, Macmillan Journals Ltd, Brunei Road, Basingstoke, Hampshire RG21 2XS. A free sample copy is available from the above adress.