Page:Bird-lore Vol 06.djvu/170

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TH: AMERICAN NATURAL HISTOKY: A Foundation of Useful Knowledge of the Higher Animals of North America. By WILLIAM T. Housman: Illustrated by 227 original drawings by Beard. Rungius. Sawyer and others; "5 photographs. chieﬂy by Sanborn. Keller and Under- wood. and numerous maps and charts. Charles Scribner‘s Sons. New \

'orlt. t9o4. Royal Svo. xxv i 449 pages.

This handsome volume treats of mammals. birds. reptiles. amphibians antl fishes. One hundred and forty-one pages are de- voted to birds. sume one hundred and eighty North American and a few extra- limital species being dealt with. Lack of space has evidently forced the exclusion of such com- mon species as Wilson's and the Hermit Thrushes. the Field and Chipping Span rows, and other equally familiar birds. but. doubtless, enough are included to form the "foundation" the author has in view. for a broader knowledge ol Ornithology. A foundation. however, should have no weak places, and before this book passes to the succeeding editions we sincerely trust it will reach, it deserves a careful technical revi- sion. The statements. for example. that “Alaska is yet to be heard from " in regard to Song Sparrows. that the Chuck-Will's- Widow replaces the Nighthawk in the South. that the Black Skimmer "on our shores is a visitor of great rarity." and others equally incorrect. have no place in a work of this kind.

Song being the bird's most attractive characteristic. it is to be regretted that in a volume deltined to have so wide a circula- tion as the one under consideration, fuller justice has not been paid to the musical powersofbirds. The Bobolink.iorexample. is declared to be merely "a very acceptable singer”; the Chat, it is said. “ has no regular song." no mention whatever is made of the vocal powers of such musical species as the Scarlet Tanager. Baltimore Oriole and Goldﬁnch. the song of the Ruby - crowned Kinglet. the author states. has " quite escaped" him. and since he does not re-

member ever having heard the Rosc- breasted Grosbeak sing, he concludes that it can he " no great singer. not more than third-rate, at the best. . . "l

Perhaps, however. after all. descriptions ol a bird‘s song may best be left to the bird itself. and Mrr Hornatlay was wise in permitting the birds to deal with thi subject while he pleads their right to the protection their great economic value to man should win them. Bird protection is. indeetl, the text of tnany an eloquent sermon in this volume. and here Mr. Hornatlay lavs the stones of his foundation with no uncertain hand. with equal farce he writes of recent imaginative. so~eal|ed ‘nature books,‘ and his condemnation oi this insidious type at literature should be taken to heart by every would—be naturalist.

No small part of the value of the portion of this book relating to birds is due to its numerous and generally excellent illustra- tions. Nearly one hundred of these are by Edmund]. Sawyer. whose work clearly en- titles him to a place in the front tank of American birtl artists. 7 F. .\l. C.

NORTH AMERICAN BIRus' firms. by CHESTER A. REED. 3.5. Illustrating the egosol nearly every species of North American birds. New York. Doubleday. Page a- Company. r904. Svo. 356 pages. This book will be welcomed by every

hird student 2: a handy work or reference

on the nests antl eggs of North American bit Every species and subspecies found in North America north oi Mexico is in- cluded. The classiﬁcation antl nomencla- ture is that of the American Ornithologists‘

Union's CheckeList.

The account of each species is headed by its ‘range.' In most cases the distinguish- in: points at the bird are then brieﬂy stated and irequently short notes on food or habits are added. Here may be mentioned the in- genious use of small marginal ﬁgures of the birds which give an idea of their appearance to one not familiar with them. The book

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