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 Nov., 1913 PUBLICATIONS REVIEWED 233 summer, or permanent), conspicuous colors or markings, principal food, kind and location of nest. There then follows a larger space in which to enter any notes of special inter- est in regard to habits, song, nesting, economic value, etc., of the bird observed. The first page of the book contains a brief preface stat- ing its aim and giving a short bibliography on birds of particular value in school work, while the last page contains pertinent suggestions for bird study in schools. By adhering to these few most important topics, the author has been able to produce a book which is concise and simple, yet of suf- ficient size to hold at least two years' records, so that interesting and useful comparisons may be made. The Bird Study Note Book is the outcome of several years' experience on the part of the author, and we are glad to learn that it has been successfully used in one of the Kan- sas schools for the past four years. $Ve be- lieve, with the author, that the school room is, perhaps, the most important place to seminate knowledge o{ the value of bird life, and to arouse interest for the protection n essary to preserve our native birds. Although this note book is particularly adapted and prepared for the use of pupils of intermediate and grammar grades, it is well worthy of recommendation to any bird stu- dent who realizes the value of keeping actual records from day to day.--MARGARET W. WYTHE. Tn BIRDS OF VIRGINIA { by [ HAROLD ]-I. BAIr,EY { [vignette] ] with. fourteen full page colored plates, ] one map, and one hm{- dred and eight I half-tones taken from natme { treating one hundred and eighty-five species and subspecies: [ all the birds that breed with- in the state. I 1913 [our copy received Sep.- tember 1] ] J.P. Bell Company, luc. [ Publish- ers I Lynchburg, Va. ] 8vo, pages xxiii -1- 362; illustrations as above. Our fellow Cooper Club member, and fomner Californian, Harold H. Bailey, has "done us proud" in putting out one of the most attractive bird books of the year. The above transcript of the title gives a good idea of the nature of the work as regards illustra- tions. The text deals in a concise way with those birds which have been found nesting within the borders of Virginia. Naturally, as being an enthusiastic oologist of the old school, Bailey's chief effort is to present his readers with important facts in regard to the nesting habits and eggs of the birds dealt with. Still, there is much useful information of a more general nature, especial- ly as regards economic status, all of which is selected with a view to securing popular in- terest in bird study in a state in which field naturalists are apparently few in number. Of course the reviewer is able .to find points to criticize. Has there ever appeared a bird book entirely above someone's criticism? The most serious fault to be found with the book in our minds concerns not its ornithology, but its grammar -- which, frankly, is in places atro- cious! '_Phis fault could have been obviated by recourse to editorial smervision, and it is to be hoped that this will be attended to in future editions. One other possible criticism is the inclu- sion of photographs of western subspecies or even species (as the burrowing owls on page 138), with nothing to indicate to the unini- tiated that they are not from Virginian sub- jects. This western tang is more pleasingly evi- denced on page 86, where is presented the re- production of a photograph by W. Otto Emer- son showing a typical collector's camp, with that now long lamented ornithologist, Walter E. Bryant, in characteristic attitude. Many of us "middle-aged" bird people share with Mr. Bailey the fondest of recollections of the days when we gained knowledge and inspiration from W. E;. Bryant. As to the facts set forth in the work under review, Harold H. Bailey is absolute authority in his field. And it is needless to say that no well conducted library of ornithology will long remain without a copy of his "Birds of Virginia".--J. GINNr,r,. CATALOGUE OF A COLLECTION oF BOOKS ON ORNITHOLOGY IN THE LIBRARY oF JOHN E. THAYER; compiled by Evelyn Thayer and Virginia Keyes (Boston, privately printed, 1913; 8vo, 188 pages. Copy received Sep- tember 8). Approximately 1200 titles appear in this cata- log, this large number suggesting the prob- ability that Mr. Thayer's is the most com- plete private ornithological library in America today. .4uduboniana are excellently repre- sented; and there are many other fine things, such as Wilson's .4yes Hawmiensis, the al-. most complete works of Gould, etc., etc. Bibliographically the Thayer Catalogue is not above criticism. There is lack of uniform- ity in treatment, and not a few errors are in evidence. In a number of cases the titles of separates are entered' as if they were indi. vidual works, without indication of their true connection. However, the Catalogue is evi- dently not at all intended as a technical expo- sition of its subject. There is a growing present-day tendency towards the adoption of book-collecting as a mind recreation on the part of men of means who have also a scientific trend of thought. In some cases the attention of the collector is absorbed wholly by books as objects of ac-