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The Bird Book. By Fannie Hardy Eck- STORM, Boston, U. S. A., D. C. Heath & Co., 1901. i2mo. Pages xii + 276. Ills. 56. Price, 60 cents. We believe that the author of this book has accomplished the far from easy task of making a desirable addition to the litera- ture of popular general ornithology. While she appears to be thoroughly familiar with what has previously been written and has often made use of it, her treatment of her theme is distinctly original. In other worils, her book Is not a compilation along well- worn paths, but an independent expression of opinion. The book is designed for the primary teacher, and the author's estimate of the educational value of bird study shows in a few words such a comprehensive grasp of its potentialities that we are tempted to (juote it. She says: If we adopt bird- study as the representation of zoiilogical science, as we seem likely to do, it must be not only because it is fairly illustrative of zoillogical principles, and because its materials are abundant and easily referred to, but because it is pleasurable to begin- ners. "Bird-study, or any otiier special science, is justified in demanding an educational hearing if it contribute generously either to a knowledge of the principles and methods of science in general or to the training of the powers of observation." (Preface.) The subject matter is somewhat unusual for a first book of birds' and seems to us to i)e bettiT tor Noung ornithologists than for joung people whose interest in birds should be fed on simpler, more palatable food. The first 57 pages are devoted to water birds, few of which come within the range of a child's observation, with the object, it is said, of giing tiie student "some notion of the i)rea(llli ot the sub- ject." I';irt III, 43 pages, 011 ' l'ii)i)|(tn> ot Mil (I - Lite, ' is excellent, luit, as lulmc s:ii<l, seems more suitalilc lor oriiiiliolov isis than for beginners, such subjects as ' Zoogeogra- phy,' 'Subspecies,' etc., being somewhat advanced for the student who perhaps does not know a dozen birds. Part II, ' Struc- ture and Comparison,' and Part IV, 'Some Common Land-Birds,' are admirable; an Appendix has sections on the zoogeograph- ical divisions of the world, with a map of the chief divisions in North America. 'Hints on Observing Birds,' 'Hints on Identifying Strange Live Birds,' 'Certain Questions Answered ' (e. g., Shall a school own mounted birds? Is there an' substi- tute for collections ? ), and ' Lists of Books." The author's well-known experience as a practical ornithologist gives its due value to her work and ensures accuracy of state- ment. We note, however, one or two slips. Pigeons, for instance, are not the only birds that drink without removing the bill. Sand Grouse resembling them in this re- spect; nor is the eastern " Bronzed Grackle," a subspecies of the western bird; the Grackle of New England, except in the southern part, being the same as that of the Mississippi valley. The pen and ink full-page drawings of birds are good only when the artist is in- debted to Seton-Thompson or J. L. Ridg- way, an indebtedness, howeser, which is not acknowledged. Fortunately the value of the book does not depend on its illustrations, and we take pleasure in commending it most lieartiK- to all bird students. — F. M. C. Birds 01 Wksiirv New York. By Ei.on Howard ICaion. Proc. Rochester .Acad. Sci., I', pp. 1-64, Feb., 1901. This excellent paper contains brief sec- tions on the faunal areas of western New York, a Bibliography, ' Migration and Res- idence' tables, an annotated list of the 297 spec-ies known to occur, ;inil a ' Hvpotliet- ii al List ' ot species winch max ociur. riie ' Migratii>ii ami Residence ' table grapliicalK presents in a clear, simple and (75)