This authoritative work of reference has been planned to take account of the great advances that have been made in ornithological knowledge since the publication of the Handbook of British Birds (1938-41).;This Handbook covers the whole of the Western Palearctic, which includes all Europe; the Middle East to Turkey, Iraq, and Jordan; and Africa south to about 19 DGN. The seven volumes, of which this is the fifth, will contain descriptions of over 770 species of birds occurring in the Western Palearctic, of which about 600 are breeding species. Each breeding species is described in full, with entries averaging about six pages of text, and sections on field characters, habitat, distribution, mortality and longevity, population (with maps showing the breeding and wintering areas), social pattern and behaviour, breeding, food, voice, plumages, moults, measurements, weights, structure, and geographical variation. Regular migrants and accidental species are treated under these headings where