1910] The Ottawa Naturalist. 63 



exterminate our game without mercy." The author states that 

 on one occasion he picked up 18 swallows which had been 

 killed b}- a gunner who was returning home from a disappointed 

 duck hunt. Such acts are, of course, "largely the result of 

 thoughtlessness or ignorance, and it is hoped by spreading a 

 knowledge of our native birds, thereby arousing a pride and 

 interest in their welfare, we may overcome a large portion of 

 this wanton destructiveness." 



The tables of "Spring Migration: Arrivals," and "New 

 York Birds: Local Lists" will be of much interest to students 

 in Canada, as well as in the United States. 300 pages are de- 

 voted to the water birds and game birds. The species are treated 

 of under the sub-headings "Description," "Distinctive marks," 

 "Field marks," "Destribution," "Migrations," "Haunts and 

 habits," "Food," and "Nests and eggs." The Diving Birds are 

 given first attention. These are followed by an account of the 

 Long- winged Swimmers; then, in order, the Tube-nosed Swim- 

 mers; the Totipalmate Birds; the Lamellirostral Swimmers ; the 

 Herons, etc., the Marsh Birds, the Plover, Snipe, etc.; Gallina- 

 ceous Birds, and Pigeons. Altogether 179 species are treated of. 

 Throughout the text many beautiful illustrations from photo- 

 graphs have been incorporated. Those showing nests and eggs 

 are of special merit and interest. At the end of the volume there 

 are 42 full paged magnificent coloured plates, all of which have 

 been drawn by Mr. Louis Agassiz Fuertes, the well known bird 

 artist. For the last ten years Mr. Fuertes has made careful 

 colour notes immediately after the capture of the birds used for 

 illustrations. In this way he has been able to depict, wonder- 

 fully well, the different colours of the birds. 



This work is a most important addition to the literature of 

 North American ornithology, and will be greatly welcomed by 

 students of birds everywhere. It will be of much interest to 

 Canadian ornithologists on account of so many of the species 

 occurring in our territory. Much credit is due to the author for 

 the preparation of this immensely valuable Memoir, to the artist 

 for his beautiful illustrations, and to the New York State Educa- 

 tion Department for the puV)lication of the whole work. Such 

 a Memoir will be a source of authoritative reference for many 

 vears to come. 



A. G. 



Catalogue of Nearctic Spiders, by Nathan Banks; Smith- 

 sonian Institution, United States National Museum, Bul- 

 letin 72. 

 This publication takes the place of the Marx Catalogue, 



prepared some twenty years ago. The author states that the 



