has written a work on ornithology, giving a complete account of the present state 

 and results of that science."— The Literary Bvlletin, Oct., 1872. 



"The fortlicoming work of Dr. Elliott Cones on ornithology will belong dis- 

 tinctively to the useful class of manuals, and be especially adapted to the require- 

 ments of students, amateurs and teachers. No work of this character, professing 

 to teach ornithology to the uninitiated, and susceptible of use as a text-book in 

 eduoiitional institutions, has hitherto appeared. Those with a taste for this study, 

 who have been deterred from its pursuit by the difficulty of mastering the techni- 

 calities in the absence of a suitable guide, will tind the way made perfectly clear 

 to them."— r/ic Golden Age, Sept. 7, 1872. 



"Dr. Coucs has wi'itten an admirable book on North American Birds."— Balti- 

 more Bulletin, March S, 1873. 



"No expense has been spared in tlie prepai-ation of this volume. The woodcuts 

 are so well executed they would easily pass for somctliiug better. The index is 

 complete; so is the glossary." — Chicago Times. 



"The descriptions are exceedingly complete and minute; the large number of 

 illustrations serve to make the text more clearly understood, and the volume is a 

 very valuable contribution to ornithology." — Boston Journal, Jan. 28, 1873. 



"The book has been carefully prepared and contains a vast amount of informa- 

 tion. * * * It i.? a book of inestimable value to the naturalist, and should be 

 found in the library of every such person throughout the land."— Boston Traveller. 



" A more elegant scientific publication than the ' Key to North American Birds, 

 just issued by this house, is not to be found. This work, of which Elliott Cones, 

 M.D., is the author, forms a very valuable and exhaustive treatise upon the birds 

 of the continent north of Mexico. The large number of plates and of woodcuts, 

 renders itjespecially interesting, and the style of its publication is almost sump- 

 tuous." — Boston I'ost. 



" Some of our distinguished men of science seem to have placed their collections 

 and their suggestions at the service of Mr. Coues, but he is fundamentally an 

 original explorer. Nobody can look over the beiaitiful book without I'eeliiig that 

 the author has added to ornithology as well as furnished its North American ' Kej'.' 

 We M'ish we knew enough about the subject to convict him of a few mistakes. 

 Having, however, great respect for specialists, we never venture to intrude an 

 opinion we liave not earned the right to give by special study. It is a modest ab- 

 dication of an insolent tyranny, but we make it with satisfaction. It would be 

 cruel, perhaps, to disturb the useful superstition that notices of books are omnis- 

 cient and infallible. Still, we reluctantly confess tiiat Mr. Coues is ahead of us in 

 his particular branch of knowledge, and we have submitted to the intolerable 

 ignominy of learning something from him with a keen sense of pleasure. Indeed 

 this "Key to North American Birds" is a volume whicii will attract all naturalists 

 for its accuracy of description and its contributions to the work of intelligent 

 classiflcation." — Boston Globe. 



" And the high comniendaliou it has received, from competent authorities in this 

 country and England, is even more than justilied by the accuracy of description, 

 the fulness of detail, tlie convenience of classiflcation, and the admirable arrange- 

 ment of the volume. * * * Dr. Coues, still a young man, and connected with 

 the United States Army, has spent a long time in obtaining the materials for his 

 work; but in it industry is subordinate to tact, and art to genius. He is a born 

 naturalist. He is a close and fine observer of all natural phenomena, and were 

 he wrecked on a rock in mid ocean lie would commence scientific researches be- 

 fore his clothes were dry. * * * And he writes as well as he observes, in a 

 clear, accurate style, colorless in itself, but transmitting the native hues of the 

 objects he describes. And these qualities appear in the work before us. to en- 

 hance iti value. * * * ^Ve have no hand-book of similar character, and none 

 that occupies the place it completely fill- J' — Golden Age, July 5, 1873. 



